


Persona 5: The Bond That Makes Us One

by Azurixx



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Adorable, Adventure, Angst, Cute, Developing Relationship, Drama, Drama & Romance, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Funny, Heartbreak, Heartwarming, Honesty, Humor, Jealousy, Joyful, Kindness, Love, Love at First Sight, Loyalty, One True Pairing, One-Sided Relationship, Persona 5 Spoilers, Personal Canon, Personal Favorite, Romance, Sacrifice, Sad, Service, Spiritual, Supernatural Elements, Teen Romance, Tension, Tragedy, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2020-03-05 12:05:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 223,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18828352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azurixx/pseuds/Azurixx
Summary: An episodic story following Ren Amamiya and Ann Takamaki as their love blossoms over the course of a year. At first heartbroken, a new purpose arises for Morgana when Lavenza tasks him with understanding human relationships. Now Morgana must embrace his duty as the guardian of Ren and Ann's bond while dealing with a Persona power that threatens to severe the couple's relationship.





	1. Hometown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana discovers of Ren Amamiya and Ann Takamaki's relationship. Spring eventually arrives as the Phantom Thieves drive Ren to his hometown of Kyoto."

 

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One**

**Episode 1: HOMETOWN**

* * *

**_~ FEBRUARY ~_ **  
**_Cafe Leblanc_ **  
**_Valentines Day  
Evening_ **

* * *

"She's going to love this, I totally know it!"

Within the illuminated streets of Tokyo was the familiar black cat striding his way through the narrow back alleys. In his mouth held a long, beautiful, freshly picked red rose. During his trek, Morgana passed by many couples along the road, all of them heading towards their planned reservations at various restaurants and bars to enjoy the romantic night with their significant other. Just like them, Morgana's heart was pounding fast as he inched closer to his destination where he planned to give his special gift that he had worked hard to retrieve.

"Uggh.. I should have gotten one with fewer thorns. I feel like the insides of my mouth are being stabbed by a bunch of needles.." Morgana mumbled, stilling clenching the rose in his teeth. In his excitement he hadn't accounted for the many thorns that covered the stem of the rose. He had obtained the rose from a rooftop garden a couple blocks away from home. At first he wanted to sneak one out from the Flower Shop within the Underground Mall, but it would have been too difficult with the sheer amount of witnesses there at the moment.

"Whatever.. this is what they do in the movies anyway: the ever handsome boy doing whatever it takes to make his sweetheart happy. No matter what pain he goes throughout his journey, he will be triumphant in his affections, just like I will!" Morgana motivated himself as he neared his destination. He had been reading up on various romance novels and doing research on the internet for the past weeks, studying on how to truly present your affection for your significant other on the fated Valentines Day. Seeing as roses were a sign of love, Morgana decides to scavenge all across the city in order to find the boldest and perfect-looking rose as a gift.

Arriving at the front of Cafe Leblanc, Morgana pushed the door open and entered, hearing the sound of water pouring from the sink as dishes clashed onto the shelves after being washed. At the moment, Sojiro and Ren Amamiya were finishing up cleaning the cafe after a wave of couples had left the premises. Morgana could smell the aroma of coffee still brimming the air, noting that the cafe must have been very busy for the past couple hours, understandably due to the special holiday that night.

"I must find the grandest of ribbons to top off this beautiful rose." Morgana commented to himself as he walked passed the main counter, immediately heading upstairs to the attic where he resided for the past year. It had served as the hideout for the Phantom Thieves as they planned out their missions to change people's hearts throughout Tokyo, but now that Mementos was closed and their heroic duties finished, it was now simply the living quarters for both Ren and Morgana until they would eventually have to leave for home next month. Morgana jumped onto the work desk at the corner of the room, which was initially used to craft various infiltration tools for their escapades in Palaces. He began to shuffle through the toolbox full of supplies that was placed on top of the desk.

"Aha! This shall do the trick!" Morgana exclaimed as he pulled out a crimson ribbon out from the toolbox. He carefully wrapped the ribbon around the stem of the rose into a cute little bow. He took a moment to look proudly at his work. "Mweheheh.. Lady Ann will sure love my gift! And alas, after all these months, I will finally have her heart."

Ever since they had formed the Phantom Thieves, Morgana's eyes and heart had been focused on the beautiful blonde on their team: Ann Takamaki. To him, everything about her was perfect: her looks, her personality, her voice. Sure, their team had been focusing on stealing the hearts of others for the past couple months, but never would he have thought that his heart would have been stolen simultaneously, let alone to the gorgeous Panther herself. Morgana knew he had to act now if he wanted her all for himself.

And tonight was going to be the time he'd steal Ann's heart!

"Don't you have anything exciting happening? I mean, you've been here nearly a whole year." a gruff voice echoed from downstairs, causing Morgana's ears to perk up. It was their caretaker and shop owner of Cafe Leblanc, Sojiro Sakura. Judging by his comment, Morgana assumed that he was talking with Ren, who was assisting with clean up. "You know, when I was young, hoo boy..."

 _Ohhh Sojiro.. I wonder what kind of crazy antics you had in your young romance life._ Morgana thought to himself. For a moment, the cat pondered on the image of a youthful Sojiro throwing out smooth pick-up lines while tilting his beige fedora to unsuspecting girls. Morgana began to shudder at the image he created in his mind.  _Ekk… On second thought.. never mind._

"...Hi there! Do you have a minute." another voice spoke from downstairs, except it was one of a girl's. Morgana's heart began to pound when he recognized whose voice it belonged to.  _Hold up.. Lady Ann? She's here? No way! This couldn't have been planned any better! Now is my time to present my prestigious gift and allow my fated lover to finally fall for me!_

Morgana quickly grabbed his rose gift and jumped down from the work desk, making his way downstairs into the cafe. He began to wonder what to say to Ann when he'd present his gift. Morgana had focused so much on finding the rose that he had forgotten to think of what to actually say. Various lines popped up in his head.

" _I present to thee, Lady Ann, a rose, to compliment your beauty."_

" _May this rose be a symbol of our love, blessed to blossom into a passionate creation."_

" _Only the finest rose is worthy of the finest body of Tokyo."_

As Morgana reached the bottom of the stairs and slowly rounded the corner into the cafe, a sight that his heart was not prepared for suddenly played in front of him. One that would slowly tear it apart and crush his dreams that he had basked in for far too long. As he silently waited for the right time to give his gift, he could only watch in defeat as the scene unfolded right before his eyes.

"For you.. Of course I'd have the time." Ren responded, making his way around from the cafe's counter and facing towards Ann, who stared back at him from the cafe's entrance with a smile. Both Morgana and Sojiro took a moment to process the events and realize what was happening.

"Ohhh… You should've just told me. Here, I'll leave the store to you." Sojiro offered. He quickly turned towards Ren and gave him a small wink of approval, before making his way towards the cafe's doors. He nodded towards Ann as he passed by her. "Enjoy yourselves."

Morgana's jaw dropped open in distress, causing his rose gift to fall onto the floor. A mixture of emotions sprawled inside him, trying to figure out the appropriate response to the situation. Anger, confusion, despair. It was if these emotions were commanding an All-Out attack onto his heart as Morgana attempted to comprehend what was happening. Ren and Ann? Together on Valentines Day?

 _But.. wait.. when did all this happen? Was it her all along that he was texting? Why didn't he tell me? Noo.. but she was supposed to be mine.._ Morgana began to shake his head, as if trying to make himself wake up from this nightmare. But unfortunately, this was reality. Unable to watch the scenario continue in front of him, Morgana had to leave and take a few moments to calm down. But he had to pass by both of them to the only exit of the cafe.

_I.. I can't stay here any longer.. I need to get out._

Morgana made his way towards the cafe's exit, disregarding the fallen rose he had dropped on the floor. He kept his head down towards the floor, ignoring Ren as he passed by him. Suddenly, he felt himself freeze in spot as he approached Ann, who looked down to him and noticed his sad demeanor. Morgana took a moment to accept the fact that this night of love he had planned for a while would have to be spent in his lonesome. Even with the girl of his dreams right in front of him, she was truly out of his grasp now.

Letting out a sigh, Morgana somberly made his towards the exit and outside into the streets of Yongen-Jaya. He sat outside of the doorway for a moment, wondering what to do now. He knew he had to go for a walk to relieve his mind, but his limbs felt weak as he still felt the heartbreak weigh down upon his entire body. Sojiro Sakura followed, exiting the cafe and taking a moment to watch as Ren offered Ann a seat and began making coffee for her.

"I gotta say, the kid caught himself a real sweet girl.. Good on him." Sojiro commented. He gave out a small chuckle before making his way home. Morgana could only lower his head in grief after hearing the comment. Already Sojiro was giving his support to the couple. Had the old man secretly wanted this to happen? Morgana recalled the moment last year when Sojiro asked if Ann had a boyfriend. Never did Morgana realize that Sojiro may have wanted to see Ren and Ann together in a relationship. Yet today made that possibility become real.

For the remainder of the night against his own better judgement, Morgana sat outside of Cafe Leblanc. He peered inside through the windows, watching as Ren and Ann spent the night together. Gradually, he felt his heart being hit with more devastating blows as he witnessed Ann's signs of affection become more intimate, beginning with her taking out a chocolate gift for Ren. She eventually sat beside him and began to cuddle with him within the booth seats. Finally, the two got up and made their way upstairs, firmly holding their hands together with a smile on each of their faces.

Morgana didn't want to go for a walk anymore. All he wanted to do was lay down in front of the cafe doors and cry himself to sleep. Never had he felt this kind of defeat in his whole life. Months and months of fawning over Ann Takamaki, giving her compliments every moment they spent together – all that meant nothing as she fell into the arms of Ren Amamiya. What made it hurt the most was that she had fallen for who Morgana thought was the closest friend he ever had. He wanted to hate him.. but at the same time, Morgana knew that Ren was the kindest, more selfless individual he had known. It should have been no surprise that Ann chose him for her valentines.

Letting out another deep sigh, Morgana curled up into a ball outside of the cafe and allowed loneliness to accompany him for the remainder of the night. One thought kept repeating in his mind due to the outcome of the tragic situation.

_..why couldn't it have been me?  
_

* * *

_**~ MARCH ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Ren Amamiya's Neighbourhood** _  
_**Afternoon** _

* * *

Spring soon fell upon Japan. The brisk, cold winter days were left behind as the country transitioned to warmer weather. Cherry blossoms began to sprinkle around the mainland, with the grass growing a vibrant green, along with the chirping of birds as they flew through the clear, blue skies enveloping above Japan. Regardless of the welcoming change of scenery, this was a bittersweet moment for the Phantom Thieves, as they neared the end of their road trip to bring their leader back to his hometown – Kyoto.

Kyoto itself was once the respective capital of Japan until Tokyo overtook its status. However, losing its prominence did not change the fact at how beautiful and diverse the city became overtime. Kyoto consisted of a magnificent landscape with a variety of different locales to visit, including the traditional temples that could be visited, such as Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji. The famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove was located near the city, allowing an excellent and up-close personal view of an expansive forest of bamboo plants. At the moment, the city itself flourished with many cherry blossoms trees that sprouted within the busy metropolitan.

"Damn.. this place is a lot more lively than I expected." Ryuji commented as he peered out through the windows of the van that the Phanthom Thieves were cruising in. At the moment, they were passing through downtown Kyoto, heading towards Ren's neighborhood, which resided closer to the mountainous region beside the city. He gently elbowed Ren beside him. "Hey, since this is your hometown, think you could show me where all the cute girls usually hang out?"

"Ohh Ryuji.. just because we're out of Tokyo doesn't mean that the girls will react towards you any differently.. They'll all be screaming and running away at the end, trust me." Futaba spoke up. She sat behind the pair within the backseat beside Haru. At the moment, she was leaning back in her seat as she nonchalantly played on her portable gaming console that she brought, knowing that the trip would be for awhile.

"Watch it! I didn't ask for your opinion!" Ryuji yelled back to her, yet receiving no reaction from Futaba whatsoever as she continued focusing on her video game. He crossed his arms and sat back in his seat. "Hmph.. I'll prove you wrong. These ladies will never see what's coming when I shower them with my inner-city Tokyo charm."

"They probably  _will_  need to shower after being exposed by your weird-ass presence.." Futaba added.

"HEY! SHUT UP!"

"Yusuke, would you mind if I see what you are drawing right now?" Haru asked, peering over the artist's shoulder as he was mindlessly sketching away into the notebook sitting in his lap.

"Why certainly.." Yusuke responded, handing his notebook over to Haru for her to look at. He had begun sketching various ideas into his notebook immediately after they had entered the city. He was quickly inspired by the differing landscape that Kyoto had to offer compared to Tokyo, which meant new ideas for his art that he could eventually incorporate later on. "Although the appearance is quite similar to Tokyo, I can immediately feel the difference within the atmosphere, though I can't quite put a finger on what it may be. Nevertheless, I must capture the emotion that it evokes onto me right now during our limited stay."

"I think you might just be talking about that takoyaki restaurant we passed by a couple minutes ago. It smelled super good there.. although maybe I'm just really hungry right now." Ann commented, with the others agreeing. They had been spending almost five hours driving straight to Kyoto, with the occasional stop for gas, bathroom breaks, and switching of drivers. They didn't have time to have an actual meal in between. She turned back from her seat to face Ren. "Hey.. you sure your folks don't mind if we have dinner with y'all? I mean, it's been almost a year since you got to spend some alone time with your family."

"Not at all. Believe it or not, they're super stoked to meet the friends I had made back in Tokyo." Ren responded, giving her a reassuring smile. His parents were very intrigued to meet the people that managed to accept their son for who he was, despite previously having a false criminal record plastered onto his identity. "I believe they ordered a whole ton of sushi for tonight. It's from one of the best sushi restaurants in Kyoto."

Everyone within the van responded in delight. They couldn't wait to fill their faces with loads of fresh sushi soon. Surprisingly, the one who would be most excited about sushi happened to be the one who didn't respond at all.

At the very moment, Morgana laid down in Ren's lap with his eyes stuck over to Ann in the front seat. He was currently going through the memory of Valentines Day. It felt very weird for the cat. During this moment of carefree relaxation with his friends, a simple thought had the power to suddenly crush his mood and spiral him back into this mood of angst. He should be enjoying the last of his time he had with his friends for the time being, yet couldn't focus on this happy memory that was being made due to one of previous heartbreak overshadowing his mind.

_Come on, Morgana.. it's already been over more than a month.. why can't you let it go?_

"Uhm.. Ren? Are you sure that this is the correct address?" Makoto asked, nodding over to the home they were nearing in. The group looked out the van's windows, getting their first glimpse at Ren's home. It was located along the side of a hill beside the other houses. A white, concrete stairway lead up to a large, modern-looking two story rectangular building. Each floor had a balcony surrounding it, with many windows aligning the sides. Sturdy rows of columns were built along the side of the house, supporting both the building's foundation on the hill, balconies and roofing. Potted plants surrounded the home, allowing it blend into the hillside it resided on. The overall color was a dark-grayish with hints of sleek white outlining the building's borders, railings and window frames.

"Yup.. that's the one. That's my home." Ren answered.

"What the- no effin' way! That's where you live in?" Ryuji exclaimed, leaning forward from his seat with his mouth gaped wide open in awe. "Dude, it looks like a freakin' mini mansion! You never mentioned this to us before!"

"I dare say, the architecture itself is magnificent. I'd even call it a work of art." Yusuke commented. He immediately swiped his noteback back from Haru and began sketching Ren's house into his notebook. "I must take into account the angles of this building. The asymmetrical shape to it provides a simple, yet complex emotion."

"Seriously? Are you really drawing our leader's home in your notebook? That's kinda weird, Inari." Futaba chimed in, rolling his eyes over to Yusuke as he ignored her comment and continued sketching.

Makoto took her time to park their van in front of Ren's home. It was evening by the time they had arrived. The sunset had casted an orange hue overlooking the area, giving it a warm, welcoming feeling as the Phantom Thieves exited the van and made their way up the steps towards Ren's home. Their leader door belled the front door as the group waited eagerly to enter.

"Who is it?" an older woman's voice called out. The door opened, revealing Ren's mother, Mrs. Amamiya. She had long, flowing black hair matching Ren's own color, except it had been tied into a ponytail with the end resting in front of her shoulder. At the moment, she was wearing a beige, long sleeve turtleneck, along with a plain, long black skirt that reached down past her knees and white slippers. Ren's mother could only stare in bewilderment as she faced her son in person for the first time in what seemed like forever. "Oh my goodness.. Ren-kun."

"How are you, mother?" Ren greeted his mother as he bowed to her. He was immediately grasped into a hug by his mother. At first surprised, he soon returned the embrace. The rest of the group couldn't help but feel moved at the sight of the mother and son reunion.

"Oh, my baby boy. It's been so long since I've been able to hug you. How have you been? Have you been eating well? I do hope that Sojiro-san fed you well. He better not have fed you just curry and coffee during your stay in Tokyo." Mrs. Amamiya drilled at Ren, who simply replied with simple answers to her list of long, complicated questions.

"Mother, I'd like for you to meet my friends." Ren stepped to the side and presented the group to her. They all greeted Mrs. Amamiya formally. "They supported me throughout my entire probation period. It made living in Tokyo all the more easier for me."

"May I give my grandest of thanks to you all. My Ren-kun has talked a lot about you during our calls during his stay with Sojiro-san." Mrs. Amamiya said as she gave them a heartwarming smile.

"You already told your mom about us? Since when?" Ryuji whispered to Ren, only to end up getting poked in the back by Futaba. "Hey! I was just curious! Can't I say anything without you stabbing me in the back?"

"Keep at it blondie and I'll upgrade to full-on slaps to your ever so  _beautiful_ buttocks." Futaba retorted, giving him a mischievous grin, causing Ryuji to hide behind Yusuke in fear.

"What's all the ruckus?" an older man's voice suddenly spoke. Ren's father appeared from behind Mrs. Amamiya. He was taller than all those present, even surpassing Yusuke's height. Mr. Amamiya had the same black hair as Ren's, abeit shorter and styled more cleanly than his son's, as well as the same type of glasses. He wore long-sleeved, buttoned up white shirt, along with gray slacks and matching shoes. Mr. Amamiya chuckled at the sight of his son. "Well well well, if it isn't the little delinquent, It's about time that the court finally got their head out of their asses and cleaned up your record."

"It's good to see you too, Father." Ren respectfully bowed before his father, before the two embraced in a hug. He began to introduce his friends to Mr. Amamiya.

"Our boy didn't end up causing any more trouble with you, did he not? He may be quiet, but he can also be quite stubborn at times. But that's only because he got that from me, haha" Mr. Amamiya joked as he wrapped his arm around his son in a playful manner. "Come on in! We've got loads of sushi waiting to be devoured in the kitchen!"

"Hell yeah! Let's go and tackle 'em! Whoot!" Ryuji exclaimed, being the first one to dash forward into the Amamiya residance. The others could only sigh, knowing that they'd be in for a whole night of his antics very soon.

"Ryuji! Use your indoor voice. And for once, behave!" Ann called to him, following after the overly-ecstatic boy into Ren's home.

"For Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya's sake, please forsake us from any of Ryuji's unnecessary yelling or outbursts.." Makoto began praying as she and the others followed suit.

"He didn't even take off his shoes. What a dumbo." Futaba added.

During the whole interaction, Morgana had been peeking out from Ren's bag, looking over his new home that he'd be sharing with Ren. The cat was impressed by the overall interior of the house. Everything appeared to be clean and organized, as well as being very spacious with lots of room for him to walk around in. Unlike the traditional homes in Kyoto, this one clearly had a more updated look to the inside. The walls were mainly sleek and painted a futuristic white, with the floors mostly being made up of a black floor tiling design. Within the first floor held the living room, guest bathroom, kitchen and dining hall, all having a unified, modern look to them. Morgana couldn't help but make comments on everything that he saw in his head.

_Whoah.. they have their own fire place? And how big is that flat screen television mounted on their wall? No way.. it's a Smart TV! Awesome! Hehe.. I could get used to living here._

"I have to say, Ren. Your home reminds me of my very own in Tokyo, but maybe just a little bit smaller in comparison." Haru commented. She was the least unfazed out of the entire Phantom Thieves, as all of them seemed to be taking lots of interest at every small detail within the Amamiya residence. "Nevertheless, I do love your family's style of décor. It's clean and very contemporary."

"I have to admit, it's hard that you managed to live in the attic of a coffee shop for a whole year. It'd be so difficult to adjust to that kind of lifestyle after living in a place like  _this_  your whole life." Ann added.

"My father is an architect. He made the whole floor plans to our home." Ren explained. "It took him nearly a whole year to build this place, but fortunately he had many connections with friends who offered the materials and labour, plus he also knew those who could provide furniture to add some style."

"Damn, that makes sense now.. and what does your mom do?" Ryuji asked, with Ren answering that she was a professor at the university within Kyoto. "Huh.. your parents are actually really well-off, now that I consider it. Along with that fact that they are super cool and down-to-earth.. Explain to me why you  _never_  bothered mentioning them to us?"

"Ren had so much to flaunt about regarding his home lifestyle, yet during the entire time in Tokyo he never bothered to mention it once. It just goes to show how humble he is." Makoto perceived. "Plus, I'd assume that at the time, being known as the son whom possibly committed a crime and got arrested may have tainted his family name. He had tried to distance himself away from his parents so he could spare them the ridicule for their sake."

"Right.. he didn't need to exercise the status of his family.. All he did was show his true self. And that was more than what was needed for us to grow close to him.." Ann mentioned, look over to Ren as they both smiled to each other. Morgana happened to catch their moment and decided to bury himself further into Ren's bag, unable to take their gaze upon one another without feeling hurt.

_Why now.. the last thing I need is for you two to stare lovingly at each other's eyes all night.. huuunggh.._

"Come on over to the kitchen, gang! Dinner is awaiting us." Mr. Amamiya called them over.

"Hehehe! After a long game of driving, we finally come to the boss battle: The Almighty Sushi Buffet!" Futaba exclaimed, raising her hands up in the air as both she and Ryuji sped into the kitchen. The rest of the group followed them, preparing themselves for a wonderful meal of tasty sushi, along with a night full of exciting talks and much needed fellowship.

* * *

**_~ MARCH ~_**  
**_Kyoto, Japan_**  
**_Amamiya Residence_**  
**_Evening_**

* * *

"Ugggh… I feel.. so full." Ryuji struggled to let out as he slouched back on his chair. He let out a loud belch from all the sushi he had just digested. "I don't think I've ever ate that much sushi before.."

"Ryuji, please sit up straight. Other than it being bad for your stomach after a meal, it's also very rude." Makoto lectured him. She along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves sat around the big, circular dining table with their plates covered in bits of leftover sushi and drops of soy sauce and wasabi. In the middle of the table laid a large serving plate with assorted sushi the Amamiya's had ordered for them. They had spent the majority of the night indulging on the succulent seafood, spending every last second in conversation. Just a few minutes ago the room had been filled with laughter and joy, but now everyone sat in silence as they took a breather from the feast they partook in.

"Health points.. fully replenished.. yet feeling overbloated. Must.. rest." Futaba groaned. She had her head down against the table resting upon her arms. Haru sat beside her, also feeling the effects of the massive sushi meal they had eaten.

"Have we discussed on the accommodations for tonight? Surely none of us will have the stamina to drive home at this time, especially after the behemoth of a meal we had just endured." Yusuke brought up. Makoto nodded, saying that Ann was able to talk to Ren's parents with him on being able to stay at their home overnight before they would be leaving the next day.

"Wait.. we are we gonna sleep? I doubt we're all gonna fit in Ren's room. That'd just be weird if we all shared the same bed anyway.." Ryuji brought up.

"I think we've got the living room and basement all to ourselves. Both rooms are pretty spacious. So long as we help with cleaning up, they won't mind letting us crash here for the night." Makoto explained.

"Alright! Then I say let's begin cleaning up so we can all rest up for tomorrow." Haru exclaimed, suddenly standing up from her seat as she picked up her plate and scurried over to the kitchen's sinks.

"How can you be so excited in cleaning up? And weren't you just writhing in pain a couple seconds ago over eating too much..?!" Futaba hollered at her. She gave out another sigh as she slowly stood up and brought her respective plate and utensil to the kitchen. Everyone else began following suit as they began clearing the dining table and rearranging the chairs.

Underneath the table, Morgana continued to enjoy his plate stacked full of sushi. For once, he'd finally receive his share after being skipped over on so many occasions back in Tokyo. He made sure to have his plate filled up with as much medium-fat tuna, fatty tuna, salmon roe and anago rolls. Morgana ensured to savour every last bite of sushi he had taken in order to make the moment last forever.

_Mmmm.. I hope we always have sushi every night for dinner here._

After licking the last of the soy sauce off his plate, Morgana took a moment to stretch his entire body, completely satisfied with his meal. Hearing the others begin to wash their plates in the kitchen, Morgana pushed his plate out from underneath the table, meowing to grab Futaba's attention to collect his plate.

"Finally got to enjoy your little sushi feast, huh?" Futaba asked as she happily petted Morgana's entire head, much to his annoyance. "Aren't you lucky.. You get to spend the next part of your life in this awesome home. Ahhh, what a simple lifestyle a cat like you gets to enjoy."

"Hey.. if I recall, we all took part in battling a power-hungry god last Christmas. My life is just as eventful and busy as yours." Morgana reminded her. Futaba nodded and resumed with the others in clean up.

With nothing else left to do, Morgana decided to got out for a walk to stretch his legs and familiarize himself with the neighbourhood. He headed towards the front door leading outside, taking a deep breath of the fresh air in the evening. Already the atmosphere felt much cleaner than Tokyo's metropolis area. Being within a neighbourhood beside the mountains was a much welcome change for Morgana. The evening itself felt quite peaceful as Morgana gazed from atop the stairway that lead down to the street. The street lamps were currently on, shining along the sidewalks as a small number of vehicles were parked alongside the streets. Morgana had to admit it felt strange not hearing the occasional sounds of residents mumbling outside along with the busy traffic at night. Things felt a lot more tranquil in the quiet neighbourhood.

Morgana looked towards the bottom of the Amamiya's stairway and noticed two figures sitting close to one another at the bottom steps. Recognizing their voices, he realized the familiar couple conversing. He sighed, knowing that the sight of Ren and Ann together was still hard for him to comprehend and get over. His initiative to go for a walk was suddenly diminished, overtaken by the need to curl up into a ball and sulk for the time being.

 _On the positive side, since they're leaving.. I won't have to be worried about seeing them together like this for awhile.. gosh why does that sound so selfish.._ Morgana shook his head once more. He shouldn't be thinking like that. He should be happy for his teammates, right? But on this specific issue, the feelings of hurt still attached to his heart. Morgana was still emotionally invested on his crush, and if a whole month wasn't enough to get over it, then for sure he'd be dwelling on this for quite some time.

"I really enjoyed our dinner tonight. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.. even knowing that this'll be the last time we get to see you for awhile now." Ann spoke. She attempted to keep a cheerful tone, but it was obvious it had trailed off into sadness from her last couple of words. "..I'm really gonna miss you. It won't be the same sitting in class knowing you won't be there behind me."

"Like you said, you've waited long enough for me to be released from juvenile hall. What more can a long-distance relationship do to us?" Ren assured her, trying to keep a positive tone in their conversation. Ann couldn't help but smile, appreciating his optimism. She scooted closer to her boyfriend, wrapping her arm around his and resting her head upon her shoulder.

 _How I wish she could lay atop her head on me.._ Morgana thought to himself as he continued watching them from atop the stairs. Although a pleasant thought to go over, in reality, he'd be crushed by the weight of Ann's head on his entire body.

"I.. just need to bring up one thing.. your parents. First off, they have to be one of the sweetest and most down-to-earth adults I've met, and that's saying a lot from our past adventures. It's no mystery to where your kindness comes from." Ann stated. She suddenly paused for a moment and let out a small sigh. "But.. you didn't tell them yet, did you? About us? I noticed when you were introducing all of us during dinner and called me your friend."

Both Ann and Morgana waited for Ren's response. He shook his head.

"Nope.. they wouldn't approve of me being in a relationship right now." Ren answered. He sighed, realizing how much more difficult it was to fully acknowledge the situation. "Sorry.. I know I should have told you before. Seeing as how I've been put on probation, they'd rather me focusing on myself for now, especially with my studies and such. Things like this, such as a relationship, would be seen as a distraction from their perspective."

"I see..." Ann replied, keeping her eyes fixated forward at the road in front of them. She wasn't sure how to respond to his answer.

"But I do plan on telling them about you, that's for sure. Right now.. may not be the best moment. I need to spend time with them to make up for all the lost hours. Show them that I'm really focused on improving myself. Being the good son that they've missed for an entire year." Ren turned over to Ann and caressed her cheek. "And when the moment arises, I'll be proud to show them who my girlfriend is."

"You're doing it again."

"Uhh.. what?"

"Putting the needs of others before yourself. Like.. uggh, I still can't fathom how you do it! And with such class too.." Ann playfully pushed him aside before putting both hands over her face to hide the gigantic smile that began to cover it. She took a moment to stare back at Ren. "I trust in your decision, Ren. And I believe you'll be the best son to your parents. And while you're here, I'll be making improvements on myself  _every_  day.. so I can be sure to give  _my_  best to you when we meet again."

"Can't wait." Ren replied. The two chuckled before taking a moment to stare at each other. As if a natural pull gravitated their faces towards one another, the two locked themselves into a kiss to commemorate the night and the promises they made to each other.

 _Seeing each of them promise to do their best while separated.. That's something I have to respect.._ Morgana thought, still watching Ren and Ann as they sat in silence, simply enjoying the presence of the other. Morgana couldn't help but feel the natural chemistry between the couple: with Ann's sweet and understanding nature, along with Ren's bold, patient and firm movement to put aside his own desires for the benefit of others.  _Still.. I would've done everything I could for you Lady Ann.. Everything.._

_Do not worry.. for your purpose will soon be revealed to you soon.._

Morgana suddenly perked up his ears, surprised by the voice that spoke out of nowhere. He looked around, finding no one else in sight. He pondered for a moment, wondering if he was now going crazy. He recalled that the voice sounded like a girl, yet they sounded nothing like his friends, so it had to be someone else.

 _Maybe I just need to sleep.. It's been a long day anyway.._  Morgana thought to himself. He took one last glance at Ren and Ann as they continued conversing at the bottom of the stairs before heading back inside.

Unaware to Morgana, he would soon play a much more integral part between Ren and Ann's relationship.

.

..

…

 _**To be continued!** _ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello there, fellow reader! First off, I would like to thank you for opening up this story and giving it a read. It really means a lot! Personally, I've recently become a Persona fan and just finished completing Persona 5 this month (yes, I know, I am SUPER late to the party), as well as Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight and Persona 4: Arena Ultimax (Yes, I needed more Persona content after spending almost 100 hours on a campaign, which did NOT feel like it was enough). And with the announcement of Persona 5: The Royal, as well as a possible Nintendo Switch port AND Joker soon coming to Smash Bros, I felt inspired to write up a story for the time being while we await for more news and content.
> 
> I admired the character interactions and felt that there was a lot of story potential with the main protagonist (who will be called Ren Amamiya within this story - sorry Akira Kurusu fans) and Ann Takamaki, which was the one and only romance I pursued on my first run (I'm a faithful guy, okay?). I definitely respect other pairings as well as I think the other party members are awesome in their own right, but for the purpose of this story, it'll be focused directly on the relationship between Ren and Ann. I've also wanted to change things up a bit and tell this relationship through the perspective of a third-party, and what better character than the head-over-heels Morgana!
> 
> Of course, I'll also be including the rest of the Persona 5 cast and allow development for them throughout the story. It will mainly take place after the events of Persona 5. Many of these chapters will revolve around fluff moments between the main pairing, with an overarching storyline involving the rest of the gang to tie everything together. All in all, the aim of this story is to provide some light-hearted, fun, cute moments among the cast.
> 
> Obvious spoilers for the game!
> 
> I am cross-posting this story from my main ff.net account, which goes under the same name as well. Will eventually update this A03 version with the rest over the chapters overtime Regardless, thank you again for reading, and have a blessed week!
> 
> ~ Azurixx
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	2. First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Separated from each other, Ren and Ann begin their first day of third-year classes. Morgana's current heartbreak finds new purpose with the help of a mysterious ally."

 

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 2: FIRST DAY**

* * *

_**~ APRIL ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Amamiya Residence** _  
_**Early Morning** _

* * *

The new school year quickly approached for Ren Amamiya. Currently he was asleep in his bedroom, located on the second floor of his home. His bedroom faced the street with its own patio view from the outside. Inside, the bedroom consisted of lots of space for Ren and Morgana to share. The flooring was made up of soft, beige carpeting against grey walls to compliment it. Ren's bedroom consisted of a sizeable bed for himself, drawers, a closet, a computer desk and his own personal bathroom for his use. Beside his bedside table was his study desk with his school material and new uniform prepared on the chair. Alongside the study desk was a stand holding an acoustic guitar Ren would use to play whenever he was bored.

An alarm began to emit throughout the bedroom. Ren took his time to crawl over to his digital alarm clock on the desk beside him. He slowly uncovered himself from his blanket, revealing his usual sleepwear consisting of a black long sleeve and navy green sweatpants. He let out a big yawn and began scratching the back of his head, taking a moment to look around his bedroom.

If he was being honest, it still took him time to adjust waking up in his own bedroom and not the attic of Cafe Leblanc. He had left all his decorations and souvenirs that he obtained during his stay in Tokyo there, as Sojiro said that he was always welcome back anytime and promised that he'd leave the attic untouched.

"Uggghh… good morning. Did you sleep well?" Morgana yawned, taking a moment to stretch out his legs. He had slept at the foot of Ren's bed, which had much more space than the tiny bed back at Cafe Leblanc's attic, meaning both of them could have comfortable space to sleep. Morgana walked over to Ren, who was still sitting at the edge of his bed stretching out his arms. "So this is it.. you first day back to school. I'll be honest, it's gonna be totally weird not going back to Shujin Academy. I was so used to chilling in that desk too. But a change of scenery isn't so bad, right?"

Ren nodded. It'd be his first day back going to his old high school as a third-year, before his false accusation of assaulting Shido. It was a whole year since he'd seen his old classmates too. The first thought that came to Ren was how they'd treat him when he'd return to class. He wasn't able to see their initial reaction when he got arrested, although at the same time he avoided checking what they were saying about him over social media, best advised by his parents and school teachers back then. But now that he had a clean slate, would they still accept him? Or would it be Shujin Academy all over again?

"Hey.. you'll be fine. You've got me with you, remember?" Morgana suddenly spoke up. He had noticed Ren going through a train of thought, understanding the underlying worry he was feeling going back to his old school. "Knowing you, you'll be able to re-establish your socials links pretty soon. It's just natural for you."

"Right.. it's nice to know I've got you by my side, Morgana. Always pushing me to do my best." Ren agreed. He quickly patted Morgana on his forehead to the cat's dismay, before pulling out his phone to see the messages he had just received that morning. He opened up the two texts:

_[ Good morning! It's a new school year! Don't be late on your first day ;) ] - Ann Takamaki_

_[ Wakey wakey wakey! It's your first day of school! And so is mine! I'm suuuuuper excited! ] - Futaba Sakura_

Ren smiled at the messages. He remembered that Futaba would be jumping back into society as a first-year student at Shujin. He had no worries about her, knowing that Ann and Ryuji would be looking out for her. With the promise list that they were able to go through during his stay in Tokyo, Ren knew that Futaba was fully capable of being independent and brave enough to converse with other people of her age.

"Did Lady Ann message you?" Morgana suddenly spoke up, only to end up lowering his head, realizing how urgent he had sounded. "I mean.. not that it's my business or anything, but of course she did, right? It must be nice to get some "good morning" messages from her."

"Yeah, she just reminded me not to be late for my first day back." Ren responded. He began to scroll through his previous messages with her, which ended up being almost a full novel of random texts they'd send to one another. Although it was hard to adjust to their long-distance relationship, they both still felt the affection towards one another through the simple words on their screens. Plus, they were still able to communicate through all different ways, such as phone calls and video chats.

"Well, shouldn't you be getting ready?" Morgana reminded him. Ren nodded and took a moment to get his school uniform prepared, bringing everything he needed to his bathroom. After taking a quick shower, he dried off, brushed his teeth and put on his school uniform, which consisted of a white button-up shirt, black sweater vest, a red tie, navy blue blazer, dark gray slacks and black shoes. He exited the bathroom, showing off his attire to Morgana. "Whoah.. you look really different. I'm so used to seeing you in your Shujin uniform. Uhh.. what school are you going to again?"

"Kyoto Municipal Horikawa Senior High School. You can just say Horikawa for short." Ren answered. Although it was just a uniform, Ren felt different in the Horikawa outfit. A sense of a new beginning lingered over him. Suddenly, a grumbling noise came from his stomach. Ren patted it, knowing that he would be needing to eat to gain the necessary energy for the day. "I should probably have some breakfast first.."

"You go on and do that.. I'll catch up with you." Morgana assured him. Ren nodded and exited his bedroom, leaving behind his phone on his bed. Morgana pondered, noticing that it was still open to the text messages sent to Ann. He began swiping through their conversations with his paw, wondering what the two talked about as boyfriend and girlfriend.

_Uggh.. just some random cheesy talks to one another.. Stuff about how their day has been, stuff about missing each other ohh so much, yada yada yadah... geez could anyone else use so many emojis in one message like this guy? Calm down, Ren.._

Morgana kept on swiping through their conversations, realizing that there was no end to the single chat. Did they end up texting each other every day for every minute? Although Morgana could understand it, seeing as they were unable to actually see each other in person for the time being. He assumed that the inability to see your significant other face to face was tough enough, therefore sending each other texts every moment had to compensate for it until their next meet-up.

Although that sort of pain was not comparable to seeing your love one in the arms of another man..

_Come on, Morgana.. get ahold of yourself. You can't always be this dramatic on the subject.. They haven't even been together physically for the past two weeks.. And it's not like you could even text somebody with your cat paws. You don't even have your own phone-_

"Uhmm.. Morgana?" a voice suddenly called out to him, causing Morgana to perk up in surprise. He turned beside him to see Ren standing by his bed, giving the cat a concerned look. "..Are you looking through my phone?"

"Uhh.. maybe.. uh just making sure that the security settings… were secure." Morgana tried to make up an excuse, but immediately knew that he had ultimately failed. He lowered his head and sighed as Ren reached over for his phone and noticed that Morgana had seen a good amount of his dialogue with Ann.

"Mind if I ask why you're looking through my conversations with Ann?" Ren asked out of curiosity. Morgana began to stutter, unable to find a good enough answer for him. Ren had recently noticed a change of Morgana's behaviour, as it was unlike the cat to snoop through his phone like that. Regardless, he could worry about that afterwards. "..Come on, we should get going. The next train to school will be coming in a couple minutes."

"..Right." Morgana nodded. He jumped into Ren's bag as he was carried out of the bedroom. Before Ren closed the door, Morgana suddenly felt his fur stick up as he felt a presence unlike anything he was familiar with overcome him. He thought his eyes were playing tricks when he noticed a blue sparkle floating within the middle of Ren's room for a moment as the door closed. Suddenly, a familiar voice of a girl echoed into his head, catching him by surprise once more.

_Do not fret.. for we will be talking soon.._

_That voice again! Where is it coming from..!?_ Morgana thought, frantically popping his head out of Ren's bag as he began looking around. Ren went downstairs, saying goodbye to his mother as he headed out the door. It surely wasn't Ren's mother, as her voice sounded more mature than the one Morgana had heard earlier. He began to shake his head anxiously. What did she mean by talking soon? Was this mysterious girl he was hearing going to meet him somehow? What was their intent?

_Ugghh.. let's just focus with going to school.. maybe listening to the lectures will help keep my mind sane._

* * *

**_~ APRIL ~_ **  
**_Tokyo, Japan_ **  
**_Cafe Leblanc_ **  
**_Early Morning_ **

* * *

Morning arose within Tokyo. Around this busy time, many of the city's civilians were making their early commute to work or school. Streets would be packed full of crowds making their way from one place to another, especially within the trains as each cart would be jam-packed with barely any room to move about. Battles over seats would occasionally be fought, with those unable to win succumbing to the hardship of standing up for the remainder of their respective train trip.

Within a familiar cafe in Yongen-Jaya, Sojiro Sakura began making preparations opening up shop. Entering Cafe Leblanc, he began doing his usual routine: ensuring all items were in stock, brewing the first batch of coffee and setting up the ingredients for his curry. Usually at this time he would be making an extra set of coffee and curry for breakfast for the teenage outcast that used to reside in the attic.

"Good morning!" a girl's voice called out as the cafe's bell rang. Sojiro looked over to the entrance, watching as both Ann and Ryuji entered. They both sported their winter Shujin uniforms, ready to begin their first day of their third-year classes. Ann went over to the cafe's counter to greet Sojiro. "Hi! How are you doing, Sojiro-san?"

"Well you know, same-old, same-old." Sojiro replied. He offered them a seat in the cafe's booths as he began brewing coffee. "Any of you want a cup of joe before school? It's on the house."

"No thanks.. that's stuff is way too strong for my taste." Ryuji answered. He went over to the booth and sprawled himself over the entire seat. All he wanted to do was sleep in. He was none too thrilled on returning back to school again. "Ugghh.. it's  _soo_  early to be awake.. Why'd you have to drag me out here too? Couldn't you have picked up Futaba yourself?"

"Suck it up, buttercup. It's her first time going back to school and we  _all_ need be supportive on her big day." Ann reminded him. She took a seat across from him with her cup of cappuccino that Sojiro quickly brewed for her. Annoyed by Ryuji's lack of decency as he laid on the seat of the booths, she gave a swift kick to his legs from under the table, causing him to cry out in pain. "Hey! This place isn't your bedroom. Would you mind showing a little respect to Sojiro-san?"

"Come on! I wasn't doing anything!" Ryuji yelled back. He slowly sat up and rubbed his legs as they throbbed in pain. He knew that Ann had begun working out to keep up with her physique as a model, but he didn't realize she could pack some power in her kick. After grumbling about his foot for a good couple minutes, he looked over to Ann, noticing the huge smile on her face as she looked over her phone. "Hey, so who texted you?"

"Ohh.. uhm.. nobody." Ann lied. She quickly turned off her phone and attended to her cup of cappuccino, swirling her finger around the rim. She didn't realize that her face had been turning red, confirming Ryuji's suspicion on who she was texting.

"Dude.. no need to hide anything from me. I already know who you're talking to. It was Ren, right?" Ryuji smirked, watching as Ann's face turned redder than before. She nodded to him, causing him to chuckle until he realized she was giving him a death stare soon afterwards. "Hey hey listen.. I mean no harm. I think it's kinda cute what you've got going with him. Seemed pretty obvious too, now that I look back on it."

"Uhm.. what do you mean?" Ann asked, curious to Ryuji's thought.

"I might not be the smartest tool in the shed, but I know when someone's got a crush when I see one. Plus, I've learned to become a very  _observant_  person."

"Hmph.. that's a big word even for you, Ryuji."

"That's not the point"! Ryuji stammered, rolling his eyes as Ann smirked at his reaction. "Look.. I know you guys started having a thing pretty early on during our Phantom Thieving days. The way you two ended up hanging around a lot in secret. Heck, I was even there when Ren did that whole  _"Ahhh I've always loved you"_  thing during the Culture Festival at school last year."

"Do you just happen to have a habit of stalking your friends, Ryuji?" Ann asked him in an annoyed tone, causing him to slightly shrug. "Besides.. what's your point on bringing this all up now?"

"Listen.. what I'm trying to say is, the three of us have grown pretty close in the past year. Man, I've even known you since middle school.. And Ren's been the only one to stick up for me during my time of need. I guess I'm trying to voice my support for you two.." Ryuji looked down and sighed, finding the courage to say the next few words, regardless of how difficult it may have been. "Uhh.. y'all mean a lot to me and I just want the best for you, okay? And I wouldn't want you guys keeping this a secret any longer from us if it hindered your expressions to each other."

Ann couldn't help but smile at Ryuji's comment. For being the uptight, over-the-top, explosive boy, deep down within that eruptive exterior rested a friend with a soft heart for those close to him. "Awwh Ryuji! I didn't know you could be so compassionate like this! It's actually melting my heart right now."

"You better not tell anyone I said any of this!" Ryuji warned her, pointing his finger at her. Before their conversation continued, the door to the cafe opened. Both him and Ann looked over to the individual entering the premises.

"Uhm… morning everyone". Futaba greeted them. She sheepishly walked into the cafe, holding her school books right up against her chest. For the first time ever, she sported her winter Shujin school uniform. She had the school's blazer buttoned up fully, with a white turtle neck underneath along with the red and black plaid skirt. To add a touch of her own character to the uniform, she wore her usual black socks that reached above her thighs, as well as black combat boots to match the look. "Hey guys.. H-how do I look?"

"Oh my goodness! You look  _sooo_ cute in your uniform!" Ann exclaimed, immediately jumping up from her seat in order to give Futaba a hug. She ended up smothering the poor girl in her arms.

"Mmmf! Mmmf!" Futaba muffled as her face was squished against Ann's chest while her legs struggled from the embrace as she tried to keep balance. Ann let her go, allowing Futaba to gasp back for air. "Hnnnnh.. I saw my eyes flashing before me.. I thought I was going to die before I even made it to school.."

"Eh.. doesn't sound too bad. At least you'd miss class." Ryuji said, joining the girls at the door. Ann ended up slapping him at the back of his head for his usual dumb commentary.

"My.. my.. wouldn't your mother be proud of you." Sojiro spoke in awe. He proudly looked at Futaba in her school uniform. Just under a year ago she was the shyest, most unsocial hermit who'd tuck herself away in her room all day. Now she sprouted into a confident social butterfly ready to take on the world by herself, starting with the public education system. "If only Wakaba was here to see you off on your first day of high school."

"This all still feels so surreal. I mean, I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for the encouragement and support be my friends." Futaba confessed, turning around to both Ann and Ryuji who were smiling proudly at her. She suddenly shifted her gaze solely on Ann, giving her a mischievous grin. "By the way.. how is Ren? Did he send you any _lovey-dovey_  good morning texts to you yet-"

"Alrighty then, why don't we head on to school? We don't wanna be late!" Ann announced as her face began to turn red once more. She quickly waved goodbye to Sojiro, before hurriedly pushing both Ryuji and Futaba out of the door as they began to protest against her. Sojiro couldn't help but chuckle at the energy of the lively teenagers. He turned back towards the centre of the counter, picking up a small, black notebook. He skimmed through the pages, each one having an account of Ren's day-to-day activities when he used to live at the cafe. Sojiro smiled.

"Heh.. still feels weird though, not seeing the kid around with his friends. Hope he's doing alright on his first day.."

* * *

_**~ APRIL ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Amamiya Residence** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

Ren fell into his bed, exhausted from his first day of school. He had to admit though, it went a lot better than his first day at Shujin Academy. A majority of the school hadn't given him the cold shoulder, or talked behind his back about the supposed rumours of his previous probation. Surprisingly, many of them welcomed him back into the community without much complaint, moreover asking him about his life in Tokyo and how the entire case went regarding Shido being incarcerated. For once, Ren wasn't looked upon as the bad guy.

"I gotta admit, everyone at Horikawa seemed a lot more friendly. I did notice a couple of guys staring at us with a weird look, but all in all, it wasn't too bad." Morgana commented. He was sitting upon the computer chair beside the desk, continuing to talk about their day. Ren nodded, although it was weird for him not to be seen as the dangerous outcast that he was so used to be seen as.

"I should write something." Ren said. He habitually looked over for his notebook, realizing it wasn't anywhere nearby. It took him a moment to remember that he didn't need to record his daily activities anymore as he left his notebook back with Sojiro-san. Morgana couldn't help but chuckle at Ren's reaction.

"You're a free man, remember? No need to be tied up in recording your every movement.. Unless you wanna continue writing it down in a diary or something. But isn't that only for girls?" Morgana reminded him. Suddenly, Ren's phone began to vibrate on his computer desk. Morgan jumped over to see who was calling Ren this late at night. He got a quick glance of the name before Ren took his phone.

_VIDEO CALL: Ann Takamaki_

"Uhm.. aren't you exhausted? Shouldn't you go to sleep soon?" Morgana suggested. His diversion worked to no success as Ren answered. His entire phone screen transitioned to a view of Ann sitting in her bed. She was comfortably changed into her pyjamas, with the colour of her top and bottoms consisting entirely of a bold red. Instead of her usual pigtails, Ann had tied her hair up into a bun to allow a better sleeping position and kept her hair from covering her face while she'd snore.

 _Uggh… even with her hair up in a bun and in pyjamas, she still looks like a goddess.._ Morgana thought to himself. He decided to lay down on Ren's computer chair and cover his eyes, having no choice but to listen to their conversation.

 _"Hey.. so how was your day?"_ Ann asked. Ren talked about his day at school, mentioning of how the students didn't seem to ostracize him. Class had gone normally for him and the teachers seemed nice, although none of them seemed as cool as Ms. Kawakami. " _Hehe.. seems like you had a pretty normal day for once. You deserve it after all you've been through. Did you happen to bring Morgana with you?"_

"Yes, as per usual. He's chilling with me right now. Look." Ren turned his phone over to show Morgana on his computer chair, still covering his eyes with his paws. Morgana sprung up into a seated position and tried to shift into a more regal stance to the best of his cat abilities.

"Uh.. good evening, m'lady Ann! How is your night..?" Morgana stuttered. He hadn't expected to join in on their nightly conversation.

 _"Oh Mona! It's nice to see you too! I kinda miss petting your cute little cat ears, hehe."_ Ann waved to him, giving a gentle smile to him. Morgana tried to keep his composure, but felt his entire heart melt at her words.

_Come on.. why'd she have to say that? And with the gorgeous smile.. This is torture.._

"I have to ask, how was Futaba's first day?" Ren brought up, facing his phone back to him. Ann began to explain how Futaba managed to keep her composure throughout the day. Although she had chosen to stay quiet for the majority of her classes, deciding to play it safe by following her schedule. She managed to talk to another classmate in her computer class, which Futaba considered a great feat. Ren smiled hearing the news. "That's good to hear. It keeps my mind at peace to know that you're there for her."

 _"Speaking of being here.. I just wish you were beside me right now. I already miss being close to you, Ren."_  Ann commented, giving an embarrassed smile. _"Hehe.. I know, I'm so clingy."_

Morgana's jaw dropped when he heard Ann say those words. How could she simply say that with absolutely no hesitation? Many thoughts came to his mind.  _Ooooooh.. if it were me, I could cling to you all day, Lady Ann. If only I'd have the chance. I'd do whatever it takes to always be close to you! Wait.. I wonder what Ren's going to say._

"To be honest, I feel the same way." Ren replied. "Don't worry though, you'll get your chance when I come visit you guys during Golden week."

 _"Yeaaah, you're right,"_  Ann responded. _"But that's soo far away though.. Maybe one day they'll be able to make technology where you'll be able to actually make physical contact with the other person, you know, like a hologram or something?"_ Ann pondered. Ren couldn't help but laugh in amusement. " _Hey.. I know it's kinda funny, but if that possibility could come true, then it would give me a chance to cuddle with you all night, no matter where you are."_

"Try patenting that idea to Futaba. Maybe she'll be able to program something for us in the future." Ren suggested. He watched as Ann suddenly got excited about the idea.

 _"Oh duh, of course! Ren, you're such a genius! Heheh. It's a good thing she's going to school now so she can get proper education for it. I'm gonna make sure that's the first thing she'll program!"_ Ann smiled. There was a moment of silence between the two. Ren noticed that Ann was staring down and fiddling with her fingers, obviously in a train of thought.

"Hey.. What's on your mind?"

 _"Uhmm.. hehe, you might think this is cheesy but.. I was watching an episode of an anime earlier and a song came on.. and it made me think of you. It's been stuck in my head for awhile now.. I was thinking about playing it to you, if that's okay?"_ Ann's face blushed. She watched as Ren pondered for a moment before letting out a small chuckle at a thought that came to his mind. Growing impatient, Ann demanded him to speak. " _Ughhh.. answer me! What is it?"_

"Actually.. I wanna hear you sing the song."

Morgana's eyes widened once more, along with his mouth dropping out.  _No way! Did he just dare Lady Ann to.. sing!?_

 _"WHA- NO! Are you out of your mind?! I can't even sing!"_ Ann blurted out, shaking her head at Ren's outlandish request. Unbeknownst to her, Ren was already plotting a countermeasure. Out of nowhere, Ren slowly began to pout his lips and began doing puppy dog eyes, making him look disappointed, yet in a cute manner in hopes of breaking down Ann to sing. " _Ugghh.. stop it.. if you were actually here right now I'd smack those puppy eyes off your face.. That's just cheating, Amamiya."_

"If you sing, I'll buy you those double chocolate crepes that you enjoy when I come visit."

Morgana simply shook his head at Ren's resolve.  _Come on, Ren.. Ann's a tough cookie. You gotta entice her with more than just food-_

 _"...Uggh fine, I'll do it. But you better not record this or tell anyone.."_ Ann sighed. Morgana couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment, having believed that Ann was more resilient against Ren's charm, but her reaction proved otherwise. Ann took a moment to look up the lyrics of the song she had been listening to and cleared her throat, humming the song of the melody before she started singing. Her voice sang in a slow, soft tempo.

 _Even if I am on my own_  
_Even if there's really no hope_  
_I'll do anything so you know  
_ _There's no distance that I wouldn't go_

 _It's because I'm always with you_  
_And you always kept your faith in me_  
_And because I couldn't live to  
_ _See a world without you next to me_

Both Ren and Morgana sat there in silence, entranced by Ann's gentle singing. For someone who was afraid of their own vocal talent, her voice gave off a soothing tone that was gentle to the ears. Ren felt like an angel had suddenly taken over his phone's speakers and sang through them. Mesmerized by her singing, he didn't realize Ann had been waiting for him to answer.

 _"Uhmm.. Ren? How was it?"_ Ann asked.

"...Beautiful. I really mean it. Ann, why didn't you let us know you had a voice like that?" Ren complimented, watching as Ann blushed. There had been times that the Phantom Thieves went to the karaoke bar in Tokyo to hangout, but it didn't occur to Ren until now that Ann hadn't really sung in front of them. It was mostly Ryuji and Futaba hogging the microphone all night singing Rise Kujikawa songs until Happy Hour had finished.

 _"Well.. you know when I said that I was usually alone while my parents were off tending to their fashion business? Sometimes when I'd feel lonely, I'd just search up songs from anime and sing the songs all by myself.. It kind of helped distract me from my own thoughts and to just be able to sing at my heart's content.."_ Ann explained. She gave a gentle smile to Ren. " _You know.. I haven't actually sung to anyone like that before.. It was kind of nice.."_

"I could listen to your voice until I'd fall asleep.." Ren mentioned, causing Ann to giggle in embarrassment. He gave out a long yawn and looked over to his clock, realizing that it was getting late. "As much as I'd wanna stay up longer to talk to you, we both should rest.. Shall we continue our conversation tomorrow?"

 _"Of course.."_ Ann smiled. She blew a quick kiss to Ren and waved him goodbye. " _I'll see you in my dreams.."_

"Same.. sleep tight." Ren ended their voice chat. Putting his phone to rest mode, he placed it aside on his computer desk and set up his alarm clock for tomorrow. Ren laid down with his hands behind his head and simply stared at the ceiling. A smile stuck on his face as an image of Ann remained on his mind. Even if they were miles apart from one another, he felt that their relationship was still able to flourish. Ren wasn't much to express his emotions to an extreme extent, but with Ann, it was if they were able to see eye to eye with each other and be comfortable on talking about literally anything that came to mind.

A memory popped up about her. It was the first time that he had encountered Ann. Ren remembered that fateful rainy day in Tokyo where it all began. He waited underneath a random awning of a boutique store, hoping for the rain to lighten up. Seemingly out of nowhere, she ended up standing beside him. That moment when Ann took off her hoodie felt like heaven had come falling down with the rain and presented Ren with someone of utmost beauty.

_That first time when she looked at me.. I still get butterflies every time I think about it.._

Ren felt that it was a destined moment. He couldn't exactly pinpoint if that was the moment he'd fallen in love, as he wasn't one to believe in the term "love at first sight". But reflecting on that specific moment, he could make that memory an exception to his understanding of the rule. Sure enough, Ren and Ann were given a chance to grow a special bond as they got to know each other during their Phantom Thieving days. Initially they attempted to keep it a secret, but eventually the others got the hint. But fortunately, they all seemed to react pretty well to their relationship, which now grew stronger and stronger each passing day.

Outside of Ren's bedroom patio, Morgana had made his way onto the railing. He watched as Ren continued staring up at his ceiling, still daydreaming about Ann. Morgana sighed as he rested his head onto his paws. He couldn't bare to listen to more of Ren and Ann's love talk and decided to go outside for some fresh air. Morgana reflected on his reactions to their conversation. He was still unable to comprehend on how exactly Ren was able to win Ann's heart and how they were able to have that deep and genuine of a conversation. Whatever Ren had said, he was always able to receive a positive reaction from Ann.

_She truly is in love with him.._

Morgana let out a deep sigh from his nostrils and closed his eyes. No matter how much he had to accept the fact that Ren and Ann were happily together, it still didn't change the fact how devastated he felt about his loss of a relationship with Ann. He thought that being patient and kind would eventually win her heart. Was he just too late? Was he not bold enough? What exactly went wrong? He did all he could to hold his composure, but felt that he was about to break down.

As he felt the gradual presence of sleep fully embody his mind, Morgana didn't notice that a blue sparkle of light gradually floated towards him. As the light got closer, it slowly changed its form into a blue butterfly. It landed atop of Morgana's head and remained there for a moment. A voiced emitted from the mysterious butterfly.

_Rest easy.. For you will need the energy for our conversation very soon.._

* * *

**...**

* * *

Morgana awoke within a mysterious room. Shocked by the sudden change in environment, he looked around, gazing upon his surroundings. He had found himself in a large, royal-like bedroom, filled with exquisite furniture and a large, queen-sized bed built with a frame that covered the borders with a flowing white curtain. At the moment, the curtain itself was closed, yet Morgana was still able to see the outline of the other items within the room. A notable feature was that most of the items and the bedroom itself were in a royal shade of blue.

 _What the! Where am I? How'd I get here?_ Morgana thought frantically to himself. He hadn't remembered waking up prior to arriving in the mysterious bedroom. Suddenly, he heard the door to the bedroom open. Morgana took a defensive position and watched through the curtains as a shadow of a young girl walked through the bedroom. She stopped at the end of the bed and placed a large book she was carrying onto the desk in front of her. At the moment, her back was facing towards Morgana as she began speaking.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, Morgana." The girl suddenly spoke. Morgana gave a surprised look. How did she know his name? He watched as the young girl slowly turned around and opened the curtains to the bed, revealing her identity. The girl had long, platinum hair and golden eyes. She wore a blue dress with a matching headband decorated with white butterfly ornaments and yellow roses.

"You may not remember me, but my name is Lavenza.. And I have an assignment for you."

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Shuann week is coming up within July 1 -7! Book your calendars, as the entire week will be filled with many fluffy stories centred around the amazing pairing of Ren Amamiya and Ann Takamaki! I'll be participating in the week with my own collection of stories based around a prompt each day of the week, so be sure to check it out, as well as the work from other amazing writers!
> 
> ~Azurixx
> 
> ~I do not own any Persona or related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are purely coincidental and for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona and series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., Ltd and SEGA~


	3. The Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana makes a deal with Lavenza. Ren reunites with his friends and lover in Tokyo."

 

* * *

 **P5: The Bond That Makes Us One**  
**Episode 3: THE ASSIGNMENT** _  
_

* * *

**= The Velvet Room =  
Lavenza's Bedroom**

* * *

"L-Lavanza?"

Morgana stared back at the platinum haired girl standing in front of him near the edge of the velvet bed. He couldn't fully remember the mysterious girl, but he did sense a familiarity with her aura. Morgana noticed a mirror set on the wall behind her. Walking over to gain a better look at his reflection, he realized that he was not in his normal cat form anymore but in his anthropomorphic body whenever he was in the Metaverse. It had been months since he had taken this form, so Morgana took a moment to familiarize himself with it. He gazed at his bipedal arms and legs, as well as his abnormally large head compared to the rest of his body. "This form.. but wouldn't that mean-"

"Do not worry, for you are not in the Metaverse anymore, but instead, the Velvet Room – a place which exists between dream and reality, mind and matter." Lavenza began to explain. She raised her hands in front of her in peace. "This place means no harm for you. Those who have been invited are here on the request for a contract to be made."

"Contract, huh? Listen, I'm not signing anything right now, okay?" Morgana affirmed himself. He hopped off of the bed and began exploring around the Velvet Room. Memories began to resurface of this reality. The last time he had been here was with the Phantom Thieves before their final battle against Yaldabaoth, which was all the way back in Christmas Eve. He turned around to face Lavenza, who patiently watched him come to terms with the setting around him. "Hold up.. weren't you accompanied by that weird-looking man with the long nose? Where is he at?"

"He is currently elsewhere attending to other business with my siblings." Lavenza confirmed. "This room is of my own personal space. A pocket room, if you wish to call it. Created by myself for my own needs."

"I see.. so this isn't the main Velvet Room, but an extension from the original. Pretty cool.." Morgana commented, taking a closer inspection of his surroundings once more. He eyed Lavenza carefully, realizing that there was a purpose for her to call him to this place. "You said earlier that this place was used to call forth those to be in a contract.. And you mentioned an assignment for me. What did you want me to do, hmm?"

"The world that your domesticated form now lives in has intrigued me for quite some time now. The people whom reside in that world, the relationships in which they partake in, the emotions that they are able to experience. I plan on understanding that world more – and I will be entrusting you in helping me achieve this task." Lavenza motioned Morgana to join her at the desk placed at the edge of the bed. She opened up the bulky, brown book she had been carrying earlier – entitled " _Le Grimoire_ " and began flipping through the pages.

"Le Grimoire… huh, doesn't that translate to "book of spells?" Morgana asked as he noticed all sorts of pages explaining about various magic spells and artifacts, as well as summoning and transformation rituals. Lavenza nodded as she neared the page to the specific artifact that she wanted to create. Morgana began to express concern. "I have a feeling that the task you're gonna give me won't be an easy one."

"You are correct, but I believe you are the one most capable of completing it." Lavenza eventually found the page she was looking for and presented it to Morgana. The title of the chapter was entitled  _The Spirit Amulet._ Morgana began skimming over the details while Lavenza fully explained her intent. "Humans are such complicated creatures. They are able to express themselves in such diverse emotions – through fear, anger, happiness, sadness, and most importantly – love."

"So if I'm understanding right now.. you're wanting to understand human emotions and the psychological aspects on what drives them? And you believe that this amulet will help you learn all that?" Morgana asked. Lavenza nodded. He scratched his chin, having doubts about her plan. "Uhm.. I hate to mention this to you, but this might be a complete waste of time. Understanding humans is best attained by spending time with them and understanding how they function from a personal perspective. Emotions aren't something you can simply conjure up out of nowhere."

"I understand.. but this specific artifact will grant more than just an understanding of emotions." Lavenza further explained. "It can allow the user to express any emotion they desire at will and allow them to create the life form of another human with full emotions to interact with, essentially creating a spirit akin to humans themselves. Lastly.. it will also allow the user to  _become_   _a human_  as well."

"Wait.. become human?" Morgana's ears perked at her final point. The idea of becoming human had been on Morgana's mind ever since his creation. Being a human was one of his greatest desires to achieve as it would allow him more freedom than his cat form permitted. This was the chance for him to turn his life around.. and possibly grab the attention of Lady Ann. "Okay.. I'm interested. But what exactly will you need from me?"

"I am glad that you have accepted this assignment. Although, it will not be an easy one." Lavenza explained further. She read over the instructions required to create the Spirit Amulet. "From my understanding, the human spirit and the way they are able to convey positive emotions are achieved through relationships, which are based upon eight main attributes:  ** _joy_ ,  _service_ ,  _loyalty, patience, honesty, kindness_ ,  _common purpose_ ,** and above all else –  _ **love**."_

"Interesting.. so I'm assuming that you want me to help you understand all these attributes in order to power up the amulet?" Morgana asked.

"Yes.. the best way to understand these attributes is to witness an example through a bond – or by a much stronger term - a relationship." Lavenza pointed out. "The bonds between two people are when these attributes grow strongest and are most influenced. I believe in your world, there is a certain duo that you may obtain a strong example from."

Lavenza waved her hands in the air, allowing a sparkle of blue light to float in front of them. The lights began to shape into a form of two individuals familiar to Morgana.

"No way.. Ren and Ann?" Morgana yelped in surprise.

"Yes.. the  **Trickster**.. and the  **Lover**. I had sensed that both have recently been involved in a special bond with one another. And I task you to carefully observe their relationship and understand how these eight attributes apply to their relationship. It is only then we can transfer this understanding into the necessary energy to power up the Spirit Amulet."

Morgana took a moment to process everything. This was going to be a life-changing opportunity for him if he was able to succeed in gaining the required power of the eight attributes to unlock the Spirit Amulet. But at what sacrifice? He'd have to go along and observe Ren and Ann's relationship grow in order to understand these attributes. Even he had to admit, he'd still have a lot to understand about the given attributes explained to him. If this was the only way for him to have a chance to become human, then he'd have to endure the potential hardships soon to come.

"Alright.. I'll do it.. but how am I going to preserve the power? And how exactly will I know if I am observing the attributes, like  **service** ,  **loyalty** , heck – and what about  **common purpose**? Don't you believe that most of those are very subjective ideas?" Morgana asked.

"Unfortunately, that is for you to figure out. I can only provide the materials necessary to complete the task. And in regards to storing the power once it's been realized, I have an item that will help you.." Lavenza waved her arm towards Morgana, causing a blue light to envelop and swirl around his neck. The blue light flashed, causing a necklace to appear around his neck. Wrapped at the end of the navy blue chains was a silver amulet-like object. Around the edges were eight different coloured stones etched into the amulet, with a larger, white diamond in the middle. "Once you have fully realized and understood one of the eight attributes, the respective stone will glow, allowing you to unlock its power. Once all eight glow, the  **Spirit Diamond**  in the middle shall alight, unlocking its full potential for use."

"Mrroooooooww-I mean, cool, cool." Morgana attempted to keep his composure. His natural instincts on freaking out over anything shiny or treasure-like began to kick in, but he managed to keep himself under control. He took a moment to inspect the Spirit Amulet around his neck. Moving forward, he was now given a new purpose to fulfill. He looked over to Lavenza in curiosity. "Hey.. not that I mean to pry, but why now do you suddenly want to understand human emotions?"

"I've been in this Velvet Room my whole life. Other than the presence of Igor, as well as my own siblings, I have no one else to truly interact with. And ever since the  **Inmate**.. I mean, the  **Trickster** , left, it's been awfully lonely here. I wish to learn more about human emotions so I can understand and possibly go forth into the world myself to experience and share these feelings." Lavenza looked sombrely to her hands as she fiddled around with her fingers, suddenly in a deep thought. Morgana had noticed and suspected she was hiding a greater intent, but decided to avoid the confrontation for now.

"I totally get it.. but like I said, why don't you also come to the real world and experience these emotions yourself?" Morgana suggested. Before he could explain any further, he was immediately cut off by Lavenza.

"No.. you must understand.. I  _need_ that artifact to be made. And I can also sense that you have interest in building this item as well for your own benefit in becoming human. Is this a deal we can agree on?"

Morgana knew she was right, although he did notice the sudden urgency in her tone. Was there truly another underlying intent that she wasn't disclosing to him? Regardless, it was as if the two began to create a new bond with each other. He felt that slowly they would understand the desires of each of their hearts as they began their contract. Morgana nodded and held out a hand towards Lavenza as they both shook hands.

"It's a deal."

* * *

**_~ MAY ~  
Tokyo, Japan  
__Yongen-Jaya, Cafe Leblanc  
_** ****_Early Morning_

* * *

It didn't take long until a whole month of school had passed. By now, Golden Week arrived, giving many students and workers in Japan an entire week of vacation. Ren had agreed to visit the rest of the Phantom Thieves at this time before their midterms eventually snuck up. Ren and Morgana planned on staying at Cafe Leblanc with Sojiro's permission once again during their overnight visit. Leaving near the beginning of Golden Week, Ren and Morgana boarded on the Nozomi train, which was deemed the fastest route, going from Kyoto to Japan in a little over two hours. Arriving in Tokyo before lunchtime, Ren navigated to Cafe Leblanc as he and Morgana reminisced about their previous memories in the city.

"Looks like things haven't changed one bit, huh Morgana?" Ren asked as he walked through the streets of Yongen-Jaya. Morgana hadn't answered, instead staying within Ren's bag as he fiddled over the Spirit Amulet. When he woke up and returned to the real world on the night he visited the Velvet Room, the Spirit Amulet was still around his neck, but it had taken form of a cat's collar instead in order to look a little less inconspicuous.

 _Alright… just like Lavenza had said. Simply observe Ren and Ann while they do their usual relationship stuff and you'll be able to understand the attributes in no time. Easy-peazy, lemon squeezy, right?_ Morgana thought over in his head. Even with the underlying task assigned to him, he'd hope to enjoy the limited time he'd have with the rest of their friends.  _Try not to dwell on it too much, it should just come naturally to you.._

Ren soon arrived at the familiar Cafe Leblanc. The smell of both coffee and curry filled the air around the shop. Ren took a moment to stare up to the cafe's sign. He couldn't believe a year ago that he had come here in hesitation during his probation. Now a free man, he was happy to see the shop again after awhile.

"Ahh.. you're back. Good to see you again." Sojiro greeted Ren as he entered the shop. Ren nodded over to Sojiro-san, seeing the old man's face light up at the sight of him. Unlike the cold, annoyed demeanour Sojiro had given to him last year, it gave Ren a pleasant feeling to be welcomed with open arms. Sojiro motioned him to sit down at the counter. "Hehe.. you just couldn't wait any longer to come back soon? Have a seat."

"REEEEEEN!" a voice called out. Before he knew it, Ren found himself being tackled into a bear hug. Morgana began to meow within his bag in distraught as it rustled around from the surprise hug. Stuck within her grasp, Ren looked over to the girl attached to him. Futaba looked up to him and gave him a big grin. "You're back!. Did ya miss me? Did ya miss me? Did you did you did you?!"

"Calm down, Futaba. Let the boy breathe." Sojiro told her. Futaba groaned and let go of Ren, soon giving out an embarrassed chuckle as she realized how clingy she was being already. Sojiro shook his head and began brewing a cup of coffee. "Want something to drink? Don't worry about paying, it's on the house."

"It's fine, Sojiro-san.. I'm actually going out soon." Ren thanked him. It took him a moment to realize the soft playing of a piano in the background. Had that been playing the entire time he was there? Ren looked around for the source of the noise, eventually gazing over to the wall beside the doorway. An antique wooden piano had been propped on the side. At the moment, Haru was playing a beautiful and relaxing melody on the instrument.

"Hello there, Ren-kun." Haru greeted him as he walked over to her. She stopped playing and turned towards him, giving out a small giggle. "Did you enjoy my playing? I figured with a small cafe like this, it could use a piano to give it a more welcome and homely vibe to it. This model is an old one my family hadn't been using for awhile, so I decided to bring it over and had it installed. It's tuned as well!"

"That was some nice playing, Haru. I didn't know you learned piano." Ren complimented. He felt his bag shift from behind him as Morgana crawled out. Eyeing over the piano, the cat leaped over to it and began walking around on the keys, playing nothing but a mess of notes in random order. Ren shook his head. "Uhmm.. Morgana, that's not how you use it."

"Mona-chan! Ohhh, I've missed you so much." Haru exclaimed, grabbing onto Morgana and squeezing him into a hug. Morgana shouted as he felt her arms tighten around him, almost losing his ability to breathe. He managed to escape her grasp as he jumped back onto the piano, causing another clash of notes to emit. Haru leaned over and noticed Morgana's new collar. "Hey Mona-chan, that's a very nice collar you have. Where did you get it?"

"Thanks, I.. uhh.. made it." Morgana lied. He figured not telling the others of the Spirit Amulet or the secret assignment given to him by Lavenza. They've had enough of supernatural events happen within the past year. Morgana wanted to spare them the trouble and let them enjoy their remaining high school years to the fullest. He looked around, noticing that Futaba and Ren were sitting across the counter from Sojiro as they were catching up, but no one else was with them in the cafe at the moment. "Hey uhh.. where's Lady Ann? And the others?"

"Makoto wanted to get a head start on an assignment at the university that she's attending right now, but she'll be catching up with us later tonight. I believe the others are on their way right now." Haru explained.

"Ohh.. I see. Well, anyway, how is the coffee business doing for you?" Morgana asked. Haru answered in a delightful tone, saying that the first location she assisted in opening up received moderate success. At the same time, Haru was also in university, pursuing a business degree in order to gain more insight on maintaining her own ventures.

"By the way Mona-chan, I have good news for you and Ren. I'm looking forward to branching out and opening a location in Kyoto soon! Hopefully you both will be able to come by and visit when the occasion comes. Maybe you'll both be able to help out there too, hehe." Haru happily said, to the pleasure of Morgana. She suddenly began shifting through her bag and took out a designed handkerchief. "Here! I want you to try wearing this."

"Wait! Hold on-" Morgana started to protest, to no success as Haru began wrapping the handkerchief around his neck, styling it to look like a hoodie over the cat's head. Morgana sat there motionlessly, looking like a feline version of little red riding hood.

"Am I a doll to you? You can't just dress me up whenever you feel like it!" Morgana argued. He began to shake off the handkerchief hoodie, managing to swipe it off his neck and throwing it aside onto the piano bench. He inspected the design and noted the simple, beige handkerchief with a cutely drawn picture of a coffee mug and muffin, both characterized with big, round eyes. "Huh.. this is actually not terrible looking. It's kinda cute.. I like it."

"It's from one of the many handkerchiefs I began selling at my coffee shop. A lot of them have already been sold. I commissioned Yusuke to design the art on it." Haru explained. She recalled the moment when she requested for Yusuke's aid, reliving the stressful process. "He kept trying to make such complicated designs, but I had to remind him to keep these designs basic in order to provide a more inviting feeling that I wanted to convey with the coffee shop."

"Understanding his view on art, I'm surprised you managed to convince him to be more minimalistic. He probably tried to provide a deeper, artistic message with his drawings and the colours he'd use.. But come on, it's just coffee! All you gotta do is sip, sip, sip!" Morgana exclaimed. The two both laughed. Morgana enjoyed his time conversing with Haru. He wasn't given the opportunity to bond with her last year as much compared with everyone else, seeing as how late she joined their group. But he did recall the moments when they met in her father's Palace and took her under his wing, training her to use her Persona. Unlike everyone else, Haru was such a sweet and friendly person that you could hardly find gripes about her and could easily get along with.

"Hey Ren, since you're staying over for the night, why don't you check up on your room? I made sure to leave everything untouched the way it was before you left." Sojiro suggested to Ren, who agreed. Futaba offered to help carry his bag up with him, stating that she wanted to borrow a couple tools from the work desk upstairs for PC modding, but she wanted to wait and ask Ren in person. As the duo made their way to the attic, Morgana heard something in their conversation that peaked his interest.

"Didn't you message me before about making a new friend at Shujin, Futaba?" Ren asked.

"Oooooh! Yes! She is  _super_ awesome! She's started in her first year this semester, just like me! She dances and does these  _crazy_  acrobatic flips as a gymnast!" Futaba exclaimed excitedly as they made their way up the stairs to the attic. "Uhhmm.. I'm not the best with names though. I think hers went along the lines of Yashi.. Yoshi..Yoshizawa? Hehe, I believe that was it! I'll make sure you get to see her next time you visit, Ren!"

The pair walked up to the attic as they continued catching up and conversing about Futaba's new friend. As they were in the attic, the door bell to Cafe Leblanc chimed as the rest of the group showed up. Ann, Ryuji and Yusuke entered, greeting both Sojiro and Haru. Ryuji was the first to notice Morgana along with them.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in.. I mean, look what dragged the cat in.. damnit.. I messed it up!" Ryuji stomped in frustration, slapping himself in the forehead. He lowered his head and looked over to Morgana. 'Uggh. what I meant to say is, whatsup?"

"Oh Ryuji.. Good to see that you're still at it with being the hard-headed self that you always are." Morgana teased him. Ryuji gave out a fake laugh, then rolled his eyes as he proceeded over to the cafe as Sojiro offered him a can of soda to drink.

"Morgana! It's nice to see you!" Ann happily greeted him. She crouched over to him and began rubbing his cheeks with both her hands, much to Morgana's enjoyment.

 _Uhhh.. yesss.. Please stroke my face with your elegant hands forever, Lady Ann._ Morgana thought to himself as he began purring in ecstasy. It soon escalated to meowing as he moaned in glee from Ann's gentle touch along his face.

"I think he's enjoying it a little too much.. You should stop before he ends up passing out." Yusuke commented. Suddenly, something had caught his eye on the floor underneath the piano bench they were sitting on. It was Haru's custom handkerchief that she had wrapped around Morgana earlier before he had stripped it off. Yusuke howled in shock. "My goodness! Is that my piece of art.. carelessly sprawled all over the dirty floor?!"

"Oops.. sorry. It must have fallen off when Morgana threw it away." Haru apologized. Before she could pick it up, Yusuke lunged forward and snatched it up. He began caressing it carefully, attempting to dust off any dirt that may have gotten on it. Haru gave him a weird look. "Uhmm.. Yusuke.. it's just a handkerchief.. One way or another, it'll get dirty."

"Not with my piece of art.. Any canvas with my crafts deserves more respect." Yusuke proclaimed as he began to carefully fold the handkerchief in his hand. "Haru! I demand you to inform all your customers to simply use your handkerchiefs as a means of display only! I shall not let any of my works be tainted by any filth whatsoever."

"Yusuke.. we're talking about a drawing of a chocolate chip muffin with eyes on it.. Something that a nine year old could draw.." Ann reminded him. Her thoughts suddenly shifted to muffins as she began craving for a freshly toasted one to munch on.

"Whatcha guys talkin' about- uhh.. ehhh.. oh oh.." Ryuji's nose began to twitch. Feeling the sensation of a sneeze rush through him, Ryuji snatched Haru's handkerchief from Yusuke's hand and let out a loud sneeze, blowing into it and allowing the contents of his nose to be captured within. Yusuke simply watched in disgust as Ryuji continually blew into the handkerchief as if it were a trumpet. Ryuji gave out a relieved sigh when he finished. "WHOOH! Oh man, that came out of nowhere. Hey, thanks for the handkerchief, bro!"

"….Why do I even bother." Yusuke lamented to himself. Defeated, he sombrely walked over to the booths to take a seat and began to question his life up to this moment.

"Guess who's heeeeeere!" Futaba called out as she came down from the attic. Jumping over to the side, she sprawled her hands out in a presenting manner. She suddenly cleared her throat and whispered over to Haru on the piano. "Pssst! Hey! That's your cue, Mozart!"

"O-Oh! ..Right." Haru nodded. She swiftly turned around and began playing a soothing piano ballad. The music she played gave off a romantic atmosphere within the cafe. Futaba called Ren over to come down from the attic. Ren stepped out from around the corner, confused to what was going on until he noticed the others in the cafe. His eyes immediately shifted onto Ann, who was staring back at him. He couldn't help but notice that she was glowing – probably because she was standing right in front of the cafe's doors as the sunlight illuminated from behind her. The beautiful piano music playing in the background helped to exemplify her majestic look.

Morgana suddenly felt a rush of heartbreak overwhelm him once again. The scene playing right in front of him emulated what had happened on Valentines Day when he discovered Ren and Ann's relationship. If felt as if the universe was forcing him to watch the scene play again.  _Come on… why does this have to be the first thing to happen when we come back?_

"...Hi." Ren spoke. He tucked his hands into his pockets and slowly walked over. Ann mimicked him as they both met at the centre of the cafe, taking a moment to stare into each other's eyes. Ren smiled and broke the silence between them. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah.. It's finally nice to see each other in person than through our phone screens, hehe." Ann joked, crossing a foot behind the other as she giggled while looking down. It had been a noticeable gesture of Ann that Ren had caught on when she was feeling shy, yet he really loved that about her as it meant she was being genuine with her feelings. The both of them felt like they were in their own bubble and simply enjoyed the moment of being close to one another, until they remembered that the others were watching them in the cafe.

"Awwwh… look at you two, being all shy and hesitant and cute.. Just kiss already!" Futaba commented excitedly. She was behind the counter standing alongside Sojiro, resting her head atop her hands as she watched the pair admire each other. Sojiro simply shook his head and made his way to the kitchen in the back. Futaba proceeded to make further commentary. "Did you guys like the piano music playing in the background? I made it my assignment all week to make this encounter all the more romantic for you two!"

"Didn't know you were into all this cheesy romance stuff, Futaba. Did you get all this from watching anime or whatever?" Ryuji asked, taking a sip of his soda while he relaxed in the booth seats. He looked over to Yusuke sitting across from him, noticing that he was drawing something in his lap. "What the- are you seriously sketching this moment right now?"

"I need to get my mind over my tainted handkerchief art.." Yusuke defended himself, causing Ryuji to sigh in disbelief. Yusuke swiftly shifted his head between his sketchbook and Ren and Ann as they both stared back at him in confusion. "When I am in pain, I must draw in order to distract myself from the sorrow that has overtaken my mind.. Ren and Ann! Please! Stay there until I fully capture this essence of youthful love. I must steer my sole focus onto this passionate showing."

"Uhm.. we're literally just standing here, doing nothing." Ann brought up. Yusuke ignored her statement as he continued drawing out the moment on paper with ferocity. She turned to Ren, who simply shrugged his shoulders to her. Ann smiled and took his arm as she wrapped hers around it. "Come on, why don't we grab something to eat? You did promise me a double-chocolate crepe for singing to you, remember?"

Ren let out a small laugh and nodded. As Haru continued playing the beautiful piano melody, the pair embraced each other as they walked towards the exit of Cafe Leblanc, ready to spend the afternoon together and catch up on their time spent separated by their long-distance relationship. Morgana helplessly watched as the two exited the cafe, seeing Ann resting her head on Ren's shoulders as they left.

"Hey guys! Don't forget we're meeting at Haru's tonight!" Ryuji called out to them as the door closed on them. Ryuji shrugged. "Did they even hear me? Geez, it's like we don't exist when they begin staring into each other's eyes. Ehh.. I'll just text them later if ever."

"I didn't get to finish capturing their moment.." Yusuke sighed as he laid his forehead upon the table in front of him, gently throwing his sketchbook aside on the seat. When was he ever going to catch a break?

Morgana sighed, realizing that the familiar feeling of sorrow was beginning to overwhelm him once again. He took a moment to reflect upon his emotions for Lady Ann once more. Her moments with Ren back at his home, the various times they'd chat over the phone, and now today when they reunited – they all created the same effect of both heartbreak and hopelessness for Morgana. Did he really still have a chance to have his feelings reciprocated? Or would Ren simply be the only person on her mind forever?

During his thought process, Morgana looked down to his collar, remembering that he was wearing the Spirit Amulet and reminding himself of the contract he made with Lavenza. He couldn't dwell on his own feelings anymore. He had a mission to accomplish, one which both he and Lavenza relied on for their own sakes. If he was going to understand the true concept of human relationships and how their emotions worked, then Morgana had to set his own feelings aside and truly understand how Ren and Ann felt for each other. This mission he accepted would be the only chance he had to become human as well.

 _What kind of attribute were they showcasing right now though. Love, probably? Patience? Loyalty maybe? Uggh… what's the difference again? I thought this'd be easier.._ Morgana couldn't think straight. His mind was still on his own distraught emotions. Maybe he needed to eat something before he could focus. After all, he hadn't gotten the chance to eat anything since breakfast when they left early in the morning.

_*sigh*_

Morgana realized that the piano music had stopped playing for awhile as a quiet, distraught sigh emitted from behind him. Turning around, he noticed Haru sitting there silently. Her expression seemed off, as her eyes stared blankly towards the piano keys in front of her, along with her eyebrows and the corner of her lips furrowed downward. Something was obviously bothering her. "Hey Haru.. you okay?"

"...It's nothing." Haru assured him. Still, her expression remained of loss and burden. She closed her eyes for a moment before forcing herself to smile. Morgana could tell that she was hiding something, but was unable to pinpoint what it was. Haru's voice immediately changed from one of bothersome to her usual, bubbly tone.

"Come on, Mona-chan! Why don't we head on over to my home so we can make the required preparations for tonight's festivities?"

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: ShuAnn week is still coming up! We've got an estimate of around 5 more weeks for this special event. 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter focuses more on the plot that will drive the entire story forward. Ren and Ann fluff moments are the main concept, but there will be an interconnecting element mentioned in the main story summary that will come to play soon.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Hope y'all have a blessed week!
> 
> \- Azurixx
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	4. Sweet Mochi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana expresses his broken heart to an ally. Ren and Ann hang out with their friends for a night of sweetness."

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 4: SWEET MOCHI**

* * *

 _**~ MAY ~** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Shibuya, Central Street** _  
_**Afternoon** _

* * *

Within Japan existed one of the busiest districts in the city. It was swarmed almost every hour with numerous pedestrians going about their day, whether it was to go shopping, dining or watching the latest movie release. The city street itself had many different areas to visit and offered all types of entertainment venues to choose from. For those who were looking for a possible part-time to job to earn some extra cash on the side, many shops were hiring and were flexible with their employee's schedules, such as the local Convenience Store and the Beef Bowl Shop. Or if you wanted to grab some grub to eat while studying, there was the Shibuya Diner where you could order a whole variety of food from the menus, such as some of their charming tea or a succulent steak of nostalgic value on the side.

"Whenever I visit this place, there always seems to be something new to try out! I  _never_ get tired of exploring this area!" Futaba exclaimed. She was accompanied with Ryuji as the duo walked down Central Street. They had been tasked by Haru to collect ingredients for the sweet mochi that they planned on baking at her home with the rest of the group. Haru had went ahead to her own home in order to prepare for the group when they arrived, with Yusuke following her to help out.

"Hey, Futaba! The convenience store is over here!" Ryuji called out to her, watching as she made her way over to the arcade. He rolled his eyes, realizing it was hopeless to grab the young teenager's attention. "Uggh.. screw it. I'll get the ingredients myself. It can't be too hard to find some sweet red bean paste anyway.."

"Whooooah, this entire area feels like a futuristic space ship!" Futaba's eye's brightened up in delight as she entered the establishment, welcomed by the flashing lights of the various arcade machines. There were all kinds of machines that Futaba wanted to try out but was unable to since she had no pocket money at the moment. Gazing upon each machine, she noted the variety of games ranging from the exhilarating racing ones to the action-packed light gun adventures.

"What the- Futaba! We're supposed to be on a mission getting ingredients.. not playing around in an arcade!" Morgana reminded her, popping his head out from her bag. His protests had no effect on her whatsoever as she continued exploring the arcade, entranced by the glowing lights that each machine had lit up. "Hey, where's Ryuji? Futaba! Can you focus for a minute, please?"

"Ooooh! Check it out! They've got some Mario Kart here! Ugghh.. I wanna play as Yoshi  _sooo_  bad!" Futaba commented. She hopped into the car seat of the arcade machine and pretended to drive around, making various engine noises at the same time. "Vroooooom! Skkkkkkrrrt! Oh noo! Blue shell incoming! Ahhhh!"

"Grrrr…. that's it, I've had enough!" Morgana growled. He quickly climbed out of Futaba's bag and began hissing towards her. "If you're just gonna be stuck in your own bubble of happiness, oblivious of how other people feel, then I might as well leave you by yourself!" Morgana suddenly bolted out of the arcade room, leaving Futaba bewildered at his outburst.

"Hey- wait! Hold up!" Futaba hopped out of the Mario Kart machine and chased after Morgana. She scanned the area of Central Street, managing to catch a glimpse of Morgana's tail disappear behind the alley of Big Bang Burger. Dodging through a couple pedestrians, she entered the alleyway to find Morgana sitting atop a garbage can, having his head lowered in a sulking manner. Futaba hesitantly walked towards Morgana, hoping for the cat to not lash out at her again. "Uhm.. Mona-chan.. what's going on? I've never seen you have an outburst like that before.. Do you mind if we talk?"

Morgana remained silent. A huge wave of guilt suddenly overcame him. It was the first time he'd ever yell to Futaba like that. He had begun to let his emotions get to his head recently. For this certain case, it had been subconsciously escalating ever since they left Cafe Leblanc earlier that day. The image of Ren and Ann embracing each other as they walked out of the cafe had stuck on his mind. Morgana had thought it wasn't really bothering him at all until his initial outburst. He slowly turned towards Futaba and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Futaba.. it's just that.. a lot has been on my mind recently, that's all." Morgana confessed. He suddenly felt his head being embraced into Futaba's hands as she began petting him, much to Morgana's usual annoyance.

"Awwwh.. what's bothering the sour little pussy cat?" Futaba asked him, only to receive an intimidating hiss from Morgana as he retaliated. Futaba yelped and backed away in surprise. "Geez! Chill out, I was kidding!"

"Hey! Don't call me a cat! I'm trying to be real here, okay?"

"Ohh.. sorry. Uhm.. for real though, what's going on Morgana? I've noticed you've been acting really strange all day." Futaba asked. She suddenly gave him a thumbs-up with an optimistic smile for him in hopes to cheer him up. "Don't worry! You can tell your favourite pal Futaba-san anything! I'm all ears!"

"How lucky am I.." Morgana commented under his breath. He sighed, wondering if he should explain his current situation. To put things into perspective, he had been dealing with these emotions by himself for a very long time. Maybe releasing it all to another individual was what he needed right now. It wasn't healthy to hold up this frustration and confusion in his own little heart to deal with by himself. Taking another deep sigh, Morgana began to recite his problem. "I guess the reason I got mad at you was because your current happy mood reminded me of Ren and Ann.."

"Huh..? Wait, so let me get this straight.. You're saying my  _joy_  reminded you of Ren and Ann and how they are all happy and lovey-dovey with each other?" Futaba attempted to understand. Morgana nodded. "That doesn't make any sense.. I'm not even in a relationship, and you just got mad that I was off being happy pretending to play Mario Kart?"

"Uggh… it's hard to explain.." Morgana shook his head and began to scratch his forehead with one of his paws. Even he had a hard time figuring out how he was feeling while his emotions were all over the place." It's like.. you have a friend that is happy with their position in life while you're stuck having to sulk in the background seeing them full of joy! It's unfair!"

"I see.. you're just jealous that Ren has Ann all to himself. Now it all makes sense!" Futaba proclaimed in certainty, causing Morgana to defend himself.

"Huh? No! I'm not jealous.. Wait, is that what the feeling is?" Morgana began thinking to himself. Had he really encountered the feeling of jealousy before? It'd make sense that this newfound emotion for him was overwhelming and that he had no idea on how to deal with its profound effects. He recalled that this specific emotion overcame him only when he'd see Ren together with Ann - whether it was in person or even through their video calls. "Then I guess it's exactly what it is! I  _am_  jealous of Ren smooching over Lady Ann! But why do I also feel sad about it? I thought that jealousy was only showcased through extreme feelings of anger.. why is it both?"

"Ooooh.. you poor kitty. The damage is more effective than I had thought.." Futaba began to sympathize with Morgana. She tilted her head to the side, tapping her finger over to her pursed lips as she began to think of ways to cheer up Morgana. "You know.. this could be a good time to finally bring my high school experiences to good use!"

"Umm.. What does your high school life have to do with my current heartbreak?" Morgana asked, intrigued at how Futaba would relate her issue to his.

"Don't underestimate  _my_  sympathetic powers, Mona-chan! Now, for once, let  _me_  be the sensei in our dynamic relationship." Futaba exclaimed with a big grin on her face. Morgana sighed, wondering how he'd gotten himself into this situation in the first place. He watched as Futaba reached over to her headphones hanging from the back of her head and showed them to Morgana. "You may not have realized this, but these aren't my usual headphones. I'm borrowing it from a friend I made in my computer class."

"What do headphones have to do with anything?!" Morgana complained. He was already regretting his choice to involve Futaba in his problem.

"Do you not realize the model of these headphones? These are the DENON-AH-GC30, the latest and greatest of noise-cancelling wireless headphones! These luxurious bad boys provide the utmost sound quality  _ever_  to bless your ears. Installed with Hi-Res certified drivers and tuned with large 40mm FreeEdge for perfect performance, these lightweight, ultra comfortable headsets are a bang for your buck!" Futaba excitedly explained as she held the headphones in one hand while waving her other hand around the item in a majestic manner.

"I feel like I'm in one of those infomercials Ren and I always watch on Sundays.." Morgana grumbled. How did they end up talking about the sound quality of headsets from his current conflict of a broken heart?

"What I'm trying to say is that these are super cool headphones that I always saw my classmate use. It got to the point where I began to compare my own headset to theirs and got jealous whenever I saw them enjoying themselves with something  _I_ didn't have." Futaba began to explain as she placed her classmate's headphones back around her neck. Morgana began listening intently, wondering where her point was leading up to. "So.. did you know what was my resolve?

"What did you do?" Morgana asked, intrigued. He raised an eyebrow in concern. "Wait.. don't tell me you stole those, did you?"

"Nope! We SHARED! That way, I could experience the magic of these beauties and didn't have to be jealous at all!" Futaba answered in delight as she did a quick hop in place, proud of her own solution.

"WHAAT! That doesn't help at all! So you're basically saying that since I'm jealous, I should just ask Ren if I can  _share_  his relationship with Lady Ann?" Morgana screeched in disbelief. Futaba pondered for a moment, realizing that Morgana was right about her absurd response. The both of them began to visualize the scenario in their heads if that had been the case...

_Good evening Ren, my fellow friend.. I'll be taking out Lady Ann to a romantic dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro tonight. We will be indulging in the most succulent sushi this city has to offer.._

_Alas, I hate to disappoint, Mona-chan.. but it's Tuesday. It is my turn to take her out to Seaside Park as we take a relaxing stroll to admire the exquisite starry sky that has befallen our city this evening.._

"Futaba.. no offense, but that's a horrible idea. I don't want to share the love of my life with someone else. I want to be in a real relationship with her myself." Morgana explained to her. He sighed. "Trying to apply your analogy on sharing would just complicate things even more.."

"Huh.. yeah you're totally right. Maybe I need more experience points on my sympathetic stats. That didn't help at all, heheh.." Futaba scratched the back of her head and gave an embarrassed smile. She shrugged her shoulders to Morgana. "Sorry! Like I said, I've never been in a romantic relationship my entire life. I guess I don't really know the feeling you're going through right now, Mona-chan."

Morgana sighed. He had thought that he was progressing somewhere with his feelings, only to fall back to square one. But at least he now understood that he was feeling jealous over Ren. The frustration and sadness he was feeling were normal emotions that others felt and he was able to realize that perspective thanks to Futaba's example - albeit a weird one. But Morgana knew there was a way to tackle this jealousy he was feeling – he just had to figure out how. Looking over to the Spirit Amulet around his neck, he was reminded of the assignment given to him by Lavenza. A surge of conflict still accompanied his mind on accomplishing his task of completing the Spirit Amulet to become human and his unrequited feelings for Lady Ann as she grew in her relationship with Ren. Through his talk with Futaba though, he was able to understand more about human relationships and how emotions affected each individual. But he had to go deeper if he wanted to fully unlock an attribute for the amulet.

_Jealous towards a friend who is enjoying the experience that you cannot have.. what could this be applied to? Joy? Patience, probably? I'm getting somewhere.. but I still feel lost._

"The heck you guys doing back here?" a voice called out from outside the back alley. Both Morgana and Futaba turned to the source, finding Ryuji standing in the street with a confused look. He lifted up a plastic bag holding the mochi ingredients that Haru requested. "Uhm.. so while you two were chilling around some garbage, I managed to collect all the ingredients by myself."

"Sorry Ryuji.. we just got distracted, that's all." Futaba apologized, motioning Morgana to jump back into her backpack. Ryuji mentioned that they should be heading over to Haru's soon. Before they began making their way back, both of their stomach's began to grumble. The two of them sighed, with Futaba moaning in hunger. "Oh man.. I forgot we didn't have lunch yet. No wonder I began feeling a little dizzy.."

"Uggh.. I'm starving.. hey, why don't we stop by the Beef Bowl shop? I could use a huge helping of simmering beef stir-fry!" Ryuji suggested, finding himself beginning to salivate just thinking about the bowl of rice and beef. Futaba turned over to Morgana, who agreed that they should spend lunch there. Ryuji pumped his fist in excitement.

"Alrighty! Time to tackle the almighty Mega Beef Bowl Boss! Let's get going, blondie!" Futaba happily skipped over towards  _Ore no Beko_ , the main beef bowl shop of Central Street. Ryuji followed closely behind, complaining about the nickname she had kept giving him. Morgana watched as the two walked into the establishment and ordered their food. He took a big whiff as he smelled the sizzling beef and rice in the kitchen. It reminded Morgana of the times where Ren had taken a part-time job at the shop, watching him as he ran around frantically attempting to memorize each customer's order. Morgana was still surprised that the management hadn't found a cat relaxing in the premises the entire time. After ordering their special Gyudon bowls, Futaba and Ryuji sat down and immediately attacked the behemoth of a meal. Futaba made sure to feed Morgana a couple pieces of beef so he wouldn't feel left out. After the two had finished, the pair slowly waddled out of the shop, completely satiated by their meal.

"Uggh… so good, yet so much beef..." Ryuji burped as he walked over and leaned against the wall outside of  _Ore no Beko._ The taste of soy sauce and simmered onion still remained in his mouth, yet his stomach felt like it was about to explode from the amount of beef he'd consumed. He almost began sweating just by the pure energy he required to finish the mega beef bowl. "Damn… I should've taken a break in between bites. I rushed way too much on eating that bowl.."

"Talk about storage overload.. I think I might need to clear up my stomach later on.. I wasn't ready for this challenge.." Futaba complained. Morgana peeked out of her bag and watched them continue complaining, unimpressed by their lack of stamina on eating. His mind began to judge their low skill sets.

_What's up with these guys? Ren was able to complete the Cosmic Tower Burger challenge with ease.. That Mega Beef Bowl challenge was nothing._

"Oh hey guys!" A girl's voice greeted them. They turned their heads to the source, watching as Ren and Ann walked over to them. She gave a concerned look as she noticed both Ryuji and Futaba sweating. "Hey.. are you guys okay? You both look like you're in pain.."

"Ohh nothing.. we only just tackled the  _gnarliest_  of beef bowls known to mankind!" Futaba exclaimed as she attempted to give out a victorious pose by standing tall with her arms set on her hips. She suddenly began moaning as she felt her stomach ached as the beef was still being digested. "Uhuhuh.. but was it really all worth it?"

Ren walked over to Futaba and gently patted on her head, much to her enjoyment. She appreciated that Ren knew of her nature of wanting a reward after completion of a difficult task. He suddenly offered his mango bubble tea to her. "Here, you want some dessert to wash away that beef aftertaste in your mouth?"

"WHAT! Are you nuts!? I'm about to explode! You expect me to just sip up your all your fattening sweet tea with tapioca pearls after a literal boss fight against a beef bowl monstrosity?" Futaba argued. Ren refuted, saying that she had an option to take just one sip, not drink up his entire tea that she had thought. "Ohh right.. Well in that case, gimme!"

"Yeah.. like for real! We're just about to bake some mochi at Haru's and you guys are already having a head start on the sweets!" Ryuji noted, walking over to Ann as he inspected the double chocolate crepe in her hand, noticing how it had been stuffed to the brim with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, bananas and strawberries. "Damn.. I thought you said you were gonna be serious about modeling. By the looks of that thing, you're gonna be adding a couple pounds to your body pretty quickly."

"It's called moderation, Ryuji! I've learned to cut down on the sweets to at least once a week, m'kay?" Ann defended herself. Ever since she had begun taking modeling seriously, Ann had to make sure that she was strict on her diet. That meant no more on-the-go snacks tucked away in her bag whenever she felt like it. She made sure to keep check of her calorie count per day, and with Ryuji's assistance on a workout regimen to help maintain her physique, she was beginning to work on her discipline for her modeling career. But Ann promised herself not to completely cut out the fun of sweets in her life, and restricted to having sweets once per week, no matter how tough the temptations would be.

"Haru had called us over to check up on you guys. Did you happen to receive the ingredients she requested?" Ren asked them. Ryuji chuckled, taking offense that they had to be checked on for doing  _one_  simple task.

"Come on, brother, you gotta have faith in us! We can  _easily_  do some grocery shopping.." Ryuji patted away at his pockets before spinning around in dismay, realizing the plastic bag with the requested items was not on him. He had a quick panic attack, before remembering where he had left the ingredients. "Oh shoot! I left it inside the shop.. Be right back!"

"Damnit, Ryuji.. you had  _one_  job." Futaba grumbled, shaking her head in disappointment.

Now that lunchtime was over, the group noted the time and decided to begin their commute to Haru's place. Morgana peeked out from Futaba's bag once more, noticing that Ren and Ann walked behind their group, with their hands both interlocked tightly into each other's. He watched as Ren sipped his bubble tea while listening intently to Ann talk as she took bites out of her crepe, marveling over the sweet dessert. Ren couldn't help but laugh in amusement when Ann hadn't notice a drop of whipped cream was lying on the tip of her nose. Allowing for some time to pass, Ren finally directed attention to the cream on her nose, much to Ann's embarrassment.

"Huh.. how long has that been there? Wait- all this time you  _knew_  and you didn't say anything?" Ann yelped as she hurriedly used her sleeve to wipe off the small drop of whipped cream off her nose.

"From my perspective, it was mercy. I could've said nothing and let you walk into Haru's place looking like a crepe yourself.. All that needed to complete the look was a cherry on top." Ren teased, causing Ann to roll her eyes. She had to control every muscle in her body not to slap her entire crepe into Ren's face. Noticing her pouty expression, Ren decided to finish off with a compliment. "With or without the whipped cream, you still look sweet to me, Takamaki."

"Hahaha.. don't think your smooth lines are gonna rock me today.. I  _will_ have my revenge, Amamiya." Ann said with a mischievous grin before she resumed munching away on her crepe. Ren gave out a small chuckle as he nervously went back to sipping his bubble tea, wondering what Ann was already plotting in her mind. Suddenly, she offered him a bite of her crepe. Ren smiled. Even in her annoyed mood, Ann was still generous in sharing her sweets with him. He took a bite of the crepe and happily devoured the chocolate sweet.

Ann couldn't help but let out a small snicker as she noticed a drop of whipped cream had made its new home on the tip of Ren's nose.  _Hehe… gotcha!_

 _Uggh… look at them.. being all cute and happy together.._ Morgana thought to himself. The cycle repeated once more with seeing Ren and Ann embracing their usual joyful couple moments. How was Morgana supposed to learn about the function of their relationship if his own emotions clouded his ability to see things from a different perspective? Morgana needed something - or someone, to help him escape this rut he was in.

"Keep looking forward, Mona-chan." Futaba said, noticing the bothered expression on his face as he watched Ren and Ann talk. She proceeded to give him a heartwarming smile along with a quick pat on the forehead. For once, Morgana smiled back and received the affectionate action without protest. Morgana followed Futaba's suggestion and turned around, allowing her to converse with him as their group began their commute to Haru's and distracting him from the sight of Ren and Ann's affection.

* * *

 _**~ MAY ~** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Okumaru Residence** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

Makoto arrived outside the gates of Haru's home. She gazed around at the tall, white brick walls surrounding the establishment, which were closed by sturdy, steel gates sealing off the path to the modernized home. The building itself was huge, with many windows and floors composing it. Haru's home sat upon a small hill, with a lush green plants and a garden at the back, presumably where Haru herself did some of her gardening. Makoto wouldn't have expected any less of the family who owned one of the biggest food corporations in Japan.

"Uhm… hello?" Makoto spoke into the intercom installed within the wall beside the gate. She waited until another voice spoke from the other end. She answered. "It's Makoto Niijima. I'm one of Haru Okumaru's friends. I believe she's expecting me over." Makoto had to wait another brief moment before the voice confirmed her arrival. Suddenly, the gates slowly screeched open, much to Makoto's surprise as she jolted in fear from the sudden noise. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she began walking up the path to the house entrance. She noted the lights coming from the inside, with various shadows running back and forth, accompanied by apparent shouting and what appeared to be movement of furniture in the background.

 _I wonder what they're up to.. it sounds like chaos in there._ Makoto thought to herself as she waited for the front door to open. She had just finished up with a group assignment with her classmates back at the university and quickly made her way to Haru's for a break and to spend time together with her friends. After passing through her college entrance exams and being accepted into her respective faculty to carve her path on becoming a police commissioner, Makoto hardly had any time for breaks. Leisure in her life was a luxury and she'd take any available opportunity to relax, especially with the Phantom Thieves, whom she'd consider one of her closest friends after their previous year of adventures.

_**BOOM!** _

Makoto stepped back in surprise, hearing something fall down onto the floor from inside the house. Before she could react any further, the door suddenly flew open, causing Ryuji to stumble outside. He continuously rolled off the front steps and onto the grass in front of the Okumaru residence. Makoto noticed that he was wearing a white apron and was covered in what appeared to be white flour all over his clothes, along with stains of what appeared to be red bean paste. At the moment, Ryuji laid there on the grass with a defeated look on his face.

"Too… much… mochi..." Ryuji groaned.

"What in the world-" Makoto gasped, before she was interrupted by a small, sticky substance being thrown onto the side of her face. She momentarily lost balance and almost fell, but luckily she was able to react quickly and regain her footing. Peeling the substance off her face, she inspected it, realizing that it was white mochiko bread, mostly used for baking mochi. Confused, she peered into the Okumaru residence and witnessed the frantic battle that was ensuing.

"I give up! I give up! I give up!" Yusuke shouted in fear. He was holding a large baking pan in both of his hands, using it as a shield as he ran out from the kitchen. He was also wearing an apron covered in both white powder and mochi sauce, along with green matcha ice cream stains on his shirt.

Within the large kitchen area, a mochi war was ensuing. Two sides were locked in battle. One group hid behind the counter of the kitchen where the oven and sinks were – taken over by Ren and Ann. On the other side, Futaba and Haru took refuge, having turned over her kitchen table to use as wall for their defense. The entire kitchen was covered in both white mochiko power, mochi sauce and splotches of ice cream in various colours. Watching helplessly from atop the kitchen cabinets was Morgana, doing his best to avoid the mochi war ensuing below.

"You'll  _never_ take me alive!" Futaba yelled, rolling up another ball of mochiko to use as ammo. Haru sat beside her, taking refuge behind the table she'd overturned, giggling intensely. Both of them had their hair tied up in ponytails, along with wearing the aprons they were using as they baked mochi. Futaba completed her mochiko ball and stood out from behind the kitchen table, throwing it towards the vicinity of where Ren and Ann were. Her shot fell no where close to them as it ended up landing into the sink behind the counter. Futaba stomped in frustration. "Ugggh! Dangit! I charged up my arm power too much. Haru! Hurry up, I need more ammo!"

"You'll  _never_ see this coming!" Ann shouted. Using a giant ladle, she took a huge scoop from the green matcha ice cream tub that Ren was holding and quickly peered out. Seeing Futaba into her sight, she locked on and catapulted the matcha ice cream ammo forward, directly hitting the girl on her forehead. Ann hopped cheerfully as she pumped a fist into the air. "Haha! Headshot!"

"Nooooo- I've been hit!" Futaba squealed. She spun around and began to slowly fall back, holding a hand out forward into the air. Haru caught Futaba and helped her onto the floor, resting her fallen comrade's head onto her lap. Futaba began to cough and grabbed onto Haru's collar, uttering out her final words to her. "Tell Sojiro-san… that I love him.."

"Futaba.. No-you can't die here! Futaba? Futabaaaaaaaa!" Haru shrieked. She held the lifeless body of Futaba in her arms as she cried out for her fallen partner.

"Excuse me.." Makoto suddenly spoke, coughing loudly as she got everyone else's attention. The rest of the group looked at her in surprise. She had her arms crossed and tapped her foot, then proceeded to point around to the messy kitchen that was turned into a battlefield. The group had gotten  _too_ into their mochi war and hadn't noticed the amount of mochiko flour and ice cream that was scattered all around the floors, walls, counters and furniture. The group stood there in silence, unable to explain themselves. Out of nowhere, the timer to the oven began to beep. Ren walked over to the oven and turned it off. He opened it up, allowing the aroma of freshly baked sweet mochi to fill up the entire kitchen. He turned towards his friends and smiled.

"The mochi is done!"

* * *

_**One hour later..** _

* * *

The group had spent over an hour cleaning up the entire kitchen before Makoto let them eat their freshly baked mochi. With no one else but Haru's butler to help them, the group worked together to mop up the entire floor that was painted with different types of ice cream flavours, ranging from the matcha green to strawberry – which were used for the ice cream mochi that they had frozen in the freezer for later consumption. They also had to wipe down the entire counter and dust away any mochiko flour that scattered everywhere. As they cleaned up, Ryuji explained to Makoto on how the food fight began – they had been talking about snow in Japan and various winter activities that they could do together as a group once the holidays came. Ren had joked about having a snowball fight, which prompted Futaba to mimic creating a snow ball through the mochiko flour they were using for the mochi, and proceeded to throw it at Ren – only to accidentally hit Ryuji. Through his usual frustration, Ryuji retaliated, which soon escalated to the mochi fight that Makoto had walked into.

"You guys just seem to know how to cause trouble out of anything, huh?" Makoto sighed. Although, just the way the event happened still humoured her.

After they finished cleaning up Haru's kitchen, the group made themselves comfortable in her living room. The room itself was spacious, with large, glass windows peering to the outside, along with a set of leather couches and chairs for sitting on. Across from the couches was the living room's fireplace with the entertainment system built around it, with a flat screen television that was capable of being controlled through voice commands. In the middle of the room was a round limestone table. Two individual sets of serving plates were placed in the centre: one with a batch of the hot baked mochi, while the other had the frozen mochi filled with various ice cream flavours.

"Bon appétit à tous!" Haru exclaimed, joining along with everyone as they surrounded the table. Each of them had their own plate with a set of chopsticks and began to dig into their mochi buffet. The room soon filled with conversation and laughter as the Phantom Thieves enjoyed their home creation of mochi. Morgana had sat atop of the smaller chair beside Futaba, devouring on his own plate of mochi. Although throughout the night, he wished that they were able to create a special tuna mochi to try out. During his feast, he watched as the entire group enjoyed themselves, but mostly focused his attention on Ren and Ann, sitting opposite to him on the couch.

"Mmm! Here, you  _have_  to try this one, babe." Ann used her chopsticks to pick up a pink mochi from her plate and directed it to Ren sitting beside her. Ren took a bite of themochi, allowing the soft, squishy texture of the mochi to melt into his mouth along with the mixture of sweet red bean paste and strawberry filling. Ren nodded in approval of the special mochi she had made, causing Ann to smile back.

"Bro.. did she just call him babe?" Ryuji whispered over to Yusuke, who simply shrugged, not caring about what the couple called themselves. Giving out a mischievous grin, Ryuji picked up a mochi from his plate and directed it to Yusuke, speaking to him in an over-the-top alluring tone in an attempt to mimic Ann's action with Ren. "Oh heeeeyyy, Yusuke-baby, why don't you have a bite of my  _special_  matcha mochi I made just for you!"

"Nonsense! I will be no part of your childish mimicry!" Yusuke retaliated, suddenly swiping one of his chopsticks at Ryuji's mochi akin to a samurai sword, causing the matcha mochi to fly across the room and splat against the glass window. The group watched as the mochi slowly slid down the glass window, before dropping onto the floor with a humorous plopping sound. Yusuke sighed in embarrassment. "..I apologize. I will clean that up."

"No worries. Besides, what you did seems like the perfect replication of how an  _actual_  girl would respond to Ryuji anyway." Futaba teased. She watched joyfully as Ryuji's ears began to steam in annoyance once more over her playful comments.

"You know, it's nice of us to get together like this, especially with how busy our lives have become recently." Makoto mentioned, with the others agreeing. She sighed. "Although, I do have a feeling that this will be one of our only meetings for quite awhile now. With everyone's schedule being quite packed as of late, and with Ren living hours away from Tokyo, it's become much more difficult for everyone to meet up."

"You are right, Makoto-chan. On the contrary, I was hoping to bring this up to you all." Haru mentioned. She sifted through her pockets and took out a pamphlet on what appeared to be a design of a coffee shop locale. It was based off the one she had assisted with opening up in Tokyo earlier that year. "I've finally gotten confirmation tonight that my coffee shop branch will be opening up their next location in Kyoto by the end of May! I'm hoping that all of you will be available around that time for the grand opening."

"Oooh, of course! I've been waiting for a good opportunity to try out some of your lattes, Haru!" Ann exclaimed. She wrapped her arm around Ren's shoulders and began to playfully poke his side with the other. "You're gonna be there for sure, right?"

"If you need help with any sort of preparations in Kyoto, I'll be glad to offer my assistance, Haru-chan." Ren nodded, much to the delight of Haru, whom graciously thanked him for his generosity. Ann also smiled, feeling her heart tingle with her boyfriend's natural habit to lend a helping hand. For Ren, he missed brewing up his own coffee when he used to live in Cafe Leblanc. Given this opportunity with Haru's shop, he was eager to go back into his coffee brewing hobby and re-sharpen his skills that Sojiro-san had taught him.

"Nice! Looks like our hangouts aren't gonna be over after all!" Ryuji exclaimed, pumped up on the opportunity to hang out with his friends once more, especially with this case allowing him to get out of Tokyo. The group agreed with Ryuji's enthusiasm. No matter how busy the group would be as they pursued their own goals, their strong bonds would continue to bring them together.

Morgana looked over to Ren and Ann as both conversed with one another as they were enjoying the company of their friends. They occasionally laughed and smiled throughout the night, with Morgana noticing Ann constantly grab Ren's shoulder. On Ren's part, he would consistently look over to Ann's face with a glow of admiration.

"I'm glad you were able to make it here to enjoy even just a day with us," Ann told Ren, resting her head on his shoulders as she playfully fiddled her fingers around his as they eventually interlocked. "Even if we are away from each other, it makes moments like this all the more special."

"I do enjoy our talks late at night, but to be honest - being with you in person makes me the happiest," Ren replied, causing Ann to giggle as her face blushed at his words. He then motioned his head in the direction of his friends as they watch them converse in their own conversations. "And to be with everyone else too – even though our time together is limited, doesn't change the fact on how joyful our time can be with one another. It's something we shouldn't take for granted in our relationships."

Even through the busy times and separation they had to deal with during their long-distance relationship, Morgana could note the joy the couple both embraced with the small moments they had with the presence of each other and their friends. Through Ryuji's dumb jokes, Makoto's wise insights, Haru's beaming positivity, Yusuke's artistic interpretations and Futaba's quirky attitude, the couple had not taken their friends for granted and made sure to enjoy every last minute with them.

"Enjoying yourself, buddy?" Futaba spoke to Morgana, reaching over to pet the cat relaxing in the chair beside her. Morgana did not recoil and embraced his friend's sign of affection to him – almost to the point of finding himself purring. Morgana took a moment to reflect on his own emotions at the moment. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed spending time with the rest of the Phantom Thieves – more accurately, his friends. Although, it had been a chaotic moment with the mochi war the group had ensued earlier, Morgana had to admit he found amusement in their actions as they were able to see the fun they had with one another. He had to admit that he spent most of his time after their adventures as the Phantom Thieves in constant frustration, loneliness, fear and heartbreak as he continued to pine over Ann.

This moment was one of the more joyous times he'd felt in quite awhile.

Unbeknownst to Morgana, one of the stones from the Spirit Amulet around his neck began to flash dimly, beginning to power up as Morgana began to understand and remind himself of the concept of  **joy**.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

* * *

_A/N: ShuAnn week is coming in 4 weeks!_

_This was more of a relaxed chapter involving the rest of the Phantom Thieves, with lots of **sweet** moments loaded for your reading pleasure! As always, please feel free to leave any comments / reactions, as I'm always happy to read over them! Anyway, hope y'all have a good week!_

_~ Azurixx_

* * *

_~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~_


	5. Coffee Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The Phantom Thieves assist with Haru's grand opening. Ren and Ann spend a romantic night with coffee."

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
Episode 5: COFFEE SHOP**

* * *

**_~ MAY ~_ **  
**_Kyoto, Japan_ **  
**_Haru's Coffee Shop_ **  
**_Afternoon_ **

* * *

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon amidst Kyoto. Within the city resided a quiet part of the town, composed of smaller buildings and more traditional architecture. The area composed of smaller shops away from the inner city, each specializing in a variety of expertise such as textiles, baked goods and books. Lots of greenery and cherry blossom trees scattered the area, making it feel less industrial compared to the busy downtown of Kyoto. Within the corner of one of the streets was a building designed to look like a modern cafe. The exterior was the only thing exposed to the public, as the interior parts were closed off while they were in the final process of design before the big revealing. The rooftop of the coffee shop was finished, revealing a large balcony-like area for eventual customers to enjoy the weather outside as they would sip their favourite cup of coffee. The rooftop balcony was very spacious, with various tables paired with umbrellas on top to provide shade. Tall, exquisitely-designed wooden beams were propped, with strands of lights hung up that would glow at night.

"Here's the last of the coffee bean shipment," Ren grunted as he lowered the box near the counter of the coffee shop. He wiped the sweat off from his forehead as he let out a sigh, relieved to finally get the last of the heavy lifting completed.

"Why thank you, Ren-kun. I do appreciate the helping hand you've offered all this time." Haru said, crossing off the checklist on her clipboard. She and Ren gazed around the interior of her coffee shop, which had a warm, relaxing tone to it. Most of the walls and floors were made of a sleek, wooden design, with many potted plants decorating the borders, all of which were planted and tended by Haru before being brought into the shop. Paintings were hung around the walls, each one with its own unique design – all commissioned by Yusuke. The counter of the coffee shop held the many pastries that would be sold along with the coffee they'd make. In the back was an expansive shelf that held all different types of souvenirs and goods which Haru crafted to be sold for customers to take home. A stairway was situated beside the counter top, which led to the rooftop balcony above.

"I have to admit, Haru, you've done an amazing job with the place. I can't wait for my chance to study in here when it finally opens." Ren complimented. Haru noted his comment and began to blush, but made sure to hide her face from view with her clipboard in order to prevent him from seeing her face turn red.

"I-I'm glad to hear that, Ren. It really means a lot to have your support.." Haru replied. Ren turned to her and gave her a reassuring smile before going to the back to help rearrange the last of the coffee ingredients into their respective places. Haru felt her heart race, knowing that Ren would be enjoying his time in the coffee shop she had spent a good amount of time and heart investing in.

"Uhm.. Ren-kun, I have a favor to ask you. B-but you're not obliged to say yes. It's totally up to you." Haru began, going over to the counter where he was organizing her custom-grown coffee beans. Ren stood up, listening to her request. "I know you'll be busy with school and all, but this coffee shop will need some assistance as it begins its tenure here. I was wondering.. since you already know how to make coffee from your experience at Cafe Leblanc, and have had proper training with Sojiro-san, if you could help out here once in awhile? You're the only one I would trust with this. I'll even make sure you get paid extra for the trouble."

"Certainly. But you don't have to pay me extra or anything. The normal rate should be just fine." Ren answered, much to Haru's delight once more. Haru really appreciated the way Ren always wanted to help out those close to him – whether it'd be his friends, family, classmates – all while he did not expect anything in return.

 _You're too perfect.. that's why I adore you so much.._ Haru thought to herself. She quickly shook the thoughts away, realizing how wrong it was to think of him like that.  _No.. Haru, you can't think like that. You have to respect both Ren and Ann.. They are your friends.. nothing more than that.._

"Ooooooh! These cookies are  _sooo_ cute!" Futaba exclaimed from the back room. She ran out and within her hands were cookies decorated in the shape of Morgana's head in his Metaverse form. Icing was used to outline his face and other features. Futaba took one Morgana cookie and bit off one of its ears, happily munching on the chocolate sweet. "Mmmhm! Morgana, I didn't know your ears tasted  _sooo_  good!"

"Noooo! You just bit part of my head off!" Morgana squealed, chasing after Futaba from the backroom as he witnessed her take another bite of the cookie, tearing off the cheek part with her teeth. He almost fell down at the horrific sight, shuddering at the crunching noises as Futaba continued chewing on the cookie. "You cannibal! How could you do that to my cute, adorable face?"

"Hey! It ain't my fault I designed these cookies on your face. Blame her!" Futaba defended herself with her mouth full of cookie crumbs, all while pointing to Haru.

"Ooh.. I'm sorry Mona-chan. I should have asked your permission first." Haru admitted, laughing in embarrassment. Morgana took no joy in Haru's disregard of his feelings to seeing his face getting munched on by random strangers. Eventually, everyone in Kyoto who'd come to her coffee shop would be biting into his beautiful facial features. Morgana pawed away at his own face, already feeling the numerous mouths sinking their teeth into his own cheeks.

"Futaba.. you shouldn't be going through the stock already, those are for paying customers." Ren reminded her. He shook his head as he listened to Futaba refute, saying that she felt she deserved more for her hard work in setting up the entire technological infrastructure of the Haru's coffee shop. Ren had to admit of Futaba's expertise in that specific department. If they had let Haru do it herself, they could only imagine the result being the entire coffee shop erupting in flames. Haru had a weakness when it came to technology – but to be more accurate, technology had a weakness against Haru.

The trio continued with the finishing touches of the coffee shop – with Morgana watching them the entire afternoon as they completed organizing everything. This was one of the rare instances in which Ren was focused on a task other than Ann. From Morgana's perspective, he'd always spot Ren texting Ann wherever they were - whether it was at home in his bedroom, or even at school when they had free time. Video chats still occurred every night, although with this particular week inching closer to the opening of Haru's coffee shop in Kyoto, Ren had been preoccupied with ensuring the entire operation would go according to plan.

 _It's finally nice to see the guy focused on something else for once._ Morgana thought. Although, he couldn't say the same for himself. Morgana still thought about Ann and her relationship with Ren every day. But after their short visit in Tokyo with the rest of the Phantom Thieves during Golden week, as well as his talk and guidance with Futaba, Morgana felt less resentment over the fact. He began to see Ren and Ann's relationship from a different perspective – one as a friend who shouldn't take the bonds for granted, but be happy for the ones close to him, just like he did with the rest of the Phantom Thieves – except maybe for Ryuji.

Morgana looked over to the Spirit Amulet around his neck. He had it for quite some time ever since Lavenza gave it to him, but still had none of the stones lit up - meaning that he had a long way to go in understanding one of the eight attributes connected to the amulet. What was he doing wrong? Why didn't he make progress in powering up the amulet? If he wanted to become human, he needed more understanding on the attributes assigned to him. But without further guidance from Lavenza, he had no other idea on how to progress on this contract given to him. If only he had access back to the Velvet Room, but Morgana had no idea how - only remembering that he simply went to sleep and awoke in the mysterious realm. But so far since his last visit there, he had no other meetings with Lavenza as of yet. He pondered on how he was going to proceed and recalled the given attributes once more.

_What were the attributes again? Loyalty? Not really sure about that one yet.. Kindness? That still seems broad to me. Joy.. maybe that one I can understand more? Uggh.. when am I gonna have that dream again with Lavenza? I have so many more questions about this stupid amulet that need to be answered.._

"I believe that's the last of what we can do for today." Haru stated, double checking her list as she finalized that all tasks were completed. The preparations for the coffee shop location was complete! Other than a couple more documents to go over back in Tokyo, along with organizing promotional material in Kyoto – the coffee shop was ready to open. Within the next couple days, the rest of the Phantom Thieves would be coming to help out with the grand opening. Haru turned over to Ren and Futaba, bowing down to them. "I am eternally grateful for the both of your help these last couple weeks. I couldn't have done it without the support of my close friends."

"Awwwh.. sweet as always, like a cinnamon roll!" Futaba gushed over at Haru's gratitude. She looked over the clock above the doorway, noticing that it was getting late. Their last train back to Tokyo would be leaving in an hour. There wouldn't be any late trains going home since it was a Sunday. Futaba suggested that they should get going soon, as she didn't want to miss school the next day. Ren and Haru nodded. They began gathering their stuff as they prepared for their journey home. Ren promised to accompany them back to the station to ensure they arrived there safely.

"Come on, buddy, it's been a long day. We should get some sleep." Ren motioned to the doorway. Morgana rolled his eyes as he jumped into Ren's backpack, letting out one final comment before they left Haru's coffee shop. Morgana made one last remark before leaving.

"Hey! That's what I'm supposed to say. Don't take that away from me!"

* * *

_**~ MAY ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Amamiya Residence** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

A week passed by as the grand opening for Haru's second coffee branch soon approached. With the special request from Haru, the rest of the Phantom Thieves made their way to Kyoto on the night before in order to have one final meeting at Ren's home to understand their specific roles for the day. At the moment, Ren and Morgana awaited in the living room, waiting for their friends to arrive after their classes. His parents were already preparing for dinner that night, whilst Ren prepared the guest rooms and couches for his friends to rest in overnight.

"It's pretty cool how your parents just let you have friends over whenever. They're really chill about this type of stuff." Morgana commented to Ren, watching from the couch as he was cleaning up the living room area. Ren simply shrugged, explaining that at first they were a bit hesitant about the accommodations. But they'd seen how much time and effort Ren put into helping his friend with her business, so providing his friends a place to sleep overnight was the least they could do.

_**DING DONG!** _

"I've got it!" Ren yelled to his parents, quickly making his way to the front entrance. He took his moment to look into the mirror beside the door, making sure that his clothes were looking fine. The sight caused Morgana to simply roll his eyes and yawn. Ren opened the door, happily greeted by the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

"Hey bro! Long time, no see!" Ryuji exclaimed, giving Ren a fist bump as they did a quick bro hug. The others greeted him as they walked into his home, making sure to take off their shoes and greet Ren's parents in the kitchen. The last one to enter the room was Ann. Ren couldn't help but simply stare at her in awe. He always felt like this whenever he saw her. In this particular moment, Ren noticed that the glow from the moonlight outside created a luminous aura around Ann, magnifying her beauty from his perspective.

"Heheh.. it's good to see you too, babe." Ann broke the silence, smiling at Ren as she noticed that he was frozen in astonishment from her appearance. She had to admit, Ann found it cute when she'd catch Ren staring at her in admiration whenever they were around. It reminded her of the time they first saw each other in Tokyo when she caught Ren staring at her in the rain. Deciding to break her boyfriend's seemingly comatose state, Ann went over to give him a kiss, before she was suddenly stopped by his hand pushing back against her mouth.

"Not here.." Ren reminded her, motioning his head back to where his parents were. At the moment, they were in the living room, enjoying their conversation with the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

"Ohh.. right." Ann sighed, accepting the fact that she wouldn't be able to show much affection to her boyfriend. It had been a couple weeks since they'd last seen each other, and with their midterms already finished, she was ready to let go all of her stress for the time being and enjoy more intimate moments with Ren. But up to this point, he  _still_ hadn't told his parents about her. What exactly was he afraid of again? Was he scared of being shunned by his parents for being in a relationship? It had been already a couple months since his false criminal charges were dropped, and Ann was positive that Ren showed how hard-working of a son he was to his parents since he came back from Tokyo. But would they still disapprove of their relationship?

Ann understood why Ren was being secretive – but she really wanted him to show off how proud he was being with her, especially towards his parents. She didn't want her efforts of becoming the proper lady for him to go to waste. His parent's approval meant a whole lot for Ann. But like Ren had said, maybe now wasn't the best time.

"We wish you many blessings for your grand opening tomorrow." Mrs. Amamiya spoke to Haru, gently holding her hand and giving a proud look. Haru couldn't help but smile at the affection she was receiving from Ren's mother. She could tell where Ren's supportive nature came from. Mrs. Amamiya turned over to Ren, who was directing Ann to her seat. "Ren-kun, it's so sweet of you to be helping Haru-kun with opening her coffee shop. But make sure you're not being  _too_  distracted with helping Ms. Okumaru. But I'd understand seeing that she's a young, beautiful woman with grand ventures. You  _could_  learn a thing or two from her."

"Like your mother said – don't get too distracted, son." Mr. Amamiya interjected from the kitchen. "Although.. seeing as how the beautiful Ms. Okumaru is very passionate and optimistic, I wouldn't be surprised if you two were doing  _more_  than just helping out at her coffee establishment behind our backs.."

"WHAAAT!?" the entire group suddenly shouted. Ryuji almost fell down from his seat, whilst Makoto and Yusuke slapped themselves on their forehead in disbelief. Futaba began making weird gagging noises at the thought. Morgana slowly melted into his seat and covered his eyes, unable to take the awkwardness of the situation. Ren looked over to Ann, noting her crossed arms and the irritated look on her face that she tried to hide from everyone else.

_Dad.. Why do you have to make this so tough for me..._

"Oh, no worries, Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya. Ren and I are simply mutual friends. We are in absolutely no further business other than what pertains to my coffee shop." Haru said, in her usual bubbly tone. Ren's parents simply chuckled, with Mrs. Amamiya noting that her husband would always joke around like that. The rest of the group sighed. Whether she intended to or not, they were blessed on how Haru was able to diffuse an awkward situation with her usual positivity – along with her slight ignorance.

"..A-anyway, shouldn't we go over what the plan will be tomorrow?" Makato stuttered, trying to shift from the already weird situation. The group agreed. They listened intently to Haru on how the grand opening for her coffee shop would pan out – providing expectations on the event, how many are expected to come and reminding everyone of their respective tasks. After an hour of going through the itinerary for tomorrow, Ren's parents called them over to dinner, allowing the group to take a break and bond for a bit. After eating, the group quickly resumed with their meeting, going over the tasks once more before deciding to call it a night.

"I think you've all got the gist of what to expect for tomorrow. Good job, everyone!" Morgana yawned, deciding to stretch as the others began to relax as well. The group felt well prepared for anything that would come there way at the coffee shop tomorrow. For Morgana, this reminded him of the times they'd spend at Cafe Leblanc planning out heists, going over Mementos requests and talking about their next target. The Phantom Thieves had overcome tougher challenges in the past – this coffee shop venture was going to be no problem for them!

"Oooh! This is  _kinda_ off-topic, but I've got something to show you guys." Ryuji took a moment to go through his phone while the others were wondering what he had in mind. He eventually showed an advertisement of an event happening in Tokyo during the summer. It had a colorful background with large, white font in the middle which read, "Tokyo Super Special Summer Music Festival". It was a full weekend event that would be held in Tokyo's famous Destinyland, with various musical guests, dance festivals, food and various other entertainment activities within the park. At the bottom of the poster had the image of a familiar smiling popstar showcasing that she would be holding a special concert by the end of the festival: the popstar was none other than Rise Kujikawa.

"Hold up! Rise Kujikawa is gonna be there!? Oh my gooosssh! I  _love_ her music!" Futaba exclaimed. Ann joined in on her excitement as the two began to talk about their favorite songs of hers, with both of them agreeing that "True Story" was their top choice from Risette's repertoire.

"Right!? Plus, she's  _suuuuper_ hot! Oh yeah, this is the part I really wanna show you guys." Ryuji read over the additional details of the festival events. During the middle of the festival, a competition would be held for any entrants to perform their own choice of music. Winners of the competition would be given VIP access to Rise Kujikawa's concert. Ryuji raised an eyebrow to his friends. "So, whaddya guys think? Are you down to form a band and try to win tickets to Rise's concert?"

"Uhm.. as much as I'd love to see Rise Kujikawa in person, what makes you think that we'd be capable of forming a band? We've never done anything like that before." Ann asked, curious to what Ryuji's thought process was.

"I don't know why, but I vaguely remembering dreaming about us guys rocking out in some music video," Ryuji explained, pointing towards Ren, Yusuke and Morgana. "Ren, you were shredding it on the guitar. Yusuke, you were playing some pretty sick rhythms on bass. I was totally jammin' out on some drums. And even you Morgana, you were in your Metaverse form doin' some weird stuff on keyboards."

"You have the strangest of dreams, Ryuji. Sometimes I wonder what goes on through your thick skull half the time." Morgana commented. Ryuji ignored his jab at him and eagerly waited his response from the others.

"Your idea actually sounds quite fun, Ryuji-kun." Haru said, pondering at the moment. She reflected on her own musical talent, thinking about the grand piano she had back at her own home and the lessons she partook when she was young, as well as the couple recitals she did along with her ballet. "You know, I've always wanted to put my piano skills to good use as well. I've decided.. I'll join you!"

"Wha- for real!?" Ryuji exclaimed, catching both him and the others by the sudden response from Haru. He pumped his fist in excitement. "Alright, Haru! I'm lovin' that attitude of yours! Anyone else?"

"Hmph… a competition based on musical talent. Music itself is already an art form, yet unlike painting, it panders to the sense of hearing – different from the visual stimulation which a brush is limited to." Yusuke pondered. He went into a deep train of thought before affirming his decision. He nodded to Ryuji, with both boys proceeding to shake hands in agreement. "I wouldn't be a true artist if I didn't break my own boundaries and test my creativity in another format – Ryuji! I will join your escapade on being the rockiest of rock bands!"

"Ryuji, you do realize that nobody else here has much of a background in music, right?" Makoto attempted to reason with him. As interesting of the idea he gave, what were the odds that they could actually pull off and  _win_ a musical competition? At the same time, Morgana looked around to everyone else's response, apparent that the remaining members were hesitant. He noticed that Ren was giving Ann a teasing look, while she returned an intimidating glare back at him as she shook her head.

_Oh no.. is Ren really gonna expose her?_

"Ann can sing." Ren suddenly spoke out.

_He actually did it!_

"Nope! That's enough out of you!" Ann suddenly interjected, taking a couch pillow beside her and stuffing it against Ren's face, muffling his screams. The rest of the group watched in bewilderment as Ren struggled with Ann as she started whacking him all over his body, while constantly bickering about how he had the guts to expose her secret singing hobby. Head shot, body shot, arm shot, twice in the face - It was an  _All-Out Pillow Attack!_

"Whoah, Ann! Give the guy a break! He's obviously trying to give you a compliment." Ryuji butted in. He suddenly found himself eating the same pillow used to beat up Ren when Ann chucked it into his face, causing Ryuji to fall off the arm of the couch he was sitting on. He too, became a victim of Ann's vicious rampage.

"Lady Ann can  _really_  sing. I've heard it myself, she has the voice of an angel!" Morgana suddenly added, much to the group's surprise. He gave a glance over to Ren and winked at him, seeing that his friend needed back-up. Ren gave him a small thumbs-up. Morgana also wanted to take this chance to give Ann a compliment as well. Defeated, Ann sighed and sunk into her seat, using another one of the couch pillows beside her to cover the lower half of her face as she hugged it out of shyness.

"I...I only sing for fun, okay? I'm not even good at it.." Ann muffled out. Ren disagreed, saying that he loved hearing her singing voice whenever they had their video chats every night. Ann immediately whacked him in the face once more with the pillow in her hand. "Hey! Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of this, Amamiya! You're the one who got us into this position in the first place!"

"Then it's decided! Ann, you're gonna be our lead singer!" Ryuji exclaimed, popping his head up from behind the couch where he had fallen. Ann gave a horrified look from his decision.

"WHHAAAAT!?"

"Come on! This could be your big breakthrough! Imagine – Ann Takamaki, super model and super singer! Dude,  _so_  many agencies and magazines are gonna be rushing to sign you up with them based on your confidence and talent! Wouldn't you agree,  _boyfriend_?" Ryuji persuaded, nudging over to Ren who nodded in agreement. Ann didn't bother looking over to them as she still had a lingering expression of doubt and annoyance on her face. Ryuji immediately shifted his gaze over to Makoto and pointed to her. "And  _you_  can be her back-up singer!"

"Huh? Wait, why me? I don't sing!" Makoto defended herself. But Ryuji's mind was already made up. He already began pacing around, imagining their band taking front stage at the concert as they rocked out to a huge wave of audience members. They could all be superstars! Unlike having to hide behind a mask being a Phantom Thief – the world could actually know their true identities! Ryuji could get all the girls he'd ever wanted! While he daydreamed, Makoto continuously protested, failing to getting Ryuji's attention on why she didn't want to sing. "Ryuji? Ryuji! Hey! Are you even listening to me? I swear, I'm gonna pull of some of my aikido moves if you don't hear me!"

"Heheh, this whole thing is  _soo_ fun to watch!" Futaba whispered over to Morgana as the two continued watching their friends argue about the idea of being in a band. Although it was a sudden idea, Morgana felt like it would eventually sow into something more. Forming a band could open up new possibilities to hang out and provide a different impact on society – one of awesome melodies and sick instrumental solos! Even if their relationships were close, there would obviously be times which they would have disagreements. But overcoming trivial banters like this helped in making their bonds grow tighter and further enjoy the moments they'd spend together. Eventually, Morgana turned over to the clock in the living room and realized how late it was getting.

"Alright guys, we've got a big day tomorrow. We should get some sleep now."

* * *

_**~ MAY ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Haru's Coffee Shop** _  
_**Daytime** _

* * *

The day soon arrived as the opening of Haru's second coffee shop location went underway. With the weeks following up to this eventful day, the group worked diligently on promoting the location such as handing out flyers and posting on social media. Since Ren and Morgana were the closest ones living near the location, they were in charge of spreading the news in town. Ren had made sure to invite his classmates from Horikawa, as well as putting up posters where most people would gather in Kyoto. Their efforts paid off as a substantial number of visitors gathered around at the grand opening.

"Ladies and gentleman, I would like to thank you all for coming on this momentous occasion." Haru spoke through a megaphone. She stood on top of an apple box in front of the coffee shop's entrance, staring towards the crowd of onlookers awaiting to try out the brand new coffee shop. A large, red ribbon was in tied in front of the entrance where it would be cut once the store opened. She continued her speech. "It is my pleasure to share with the community of Kyoto my passion for coffee, and I believe this shop will offer you many moments of memories and fellowship that you may share with friends, both old and new."

Morgana was sitting atop the rooftop of the cafe, gazing upon the crowd of visitors as Haru continued with her opening speech.  _Whoah.. there sure seems like a lot of people. I hope the group is up to the task with catering to all these thirsty customers._ Morgana thought. The rest of the Phantom Thieves stood behind Haru, who'd finish up with her speech. They all watched as Haru was handed a humongous pair of scissors and cut the ribbon in front of the doors. The cloth covering the sign above the entrance fell, unveiling the name of the coffee shop:  _Okumaru Cafe_. The crowd cheered as they began to line up and enter the coffee establishment.

Throughout the day, Haru's coffee shop was packed full of curious customers as they lined up to try out the variety of drinks and pastries the store had to offer, ranging from hot coffee and tea, cold lattes and cappuccinos, and the delectable desserts of donuts, muffins, bagels and cookies. Morgana would explore around the cafe, watching as customers would sit around and explore both the main floor and upper balcony levels, taking time to enjoy the new environment.

At the same time, the Phantom Thieves were hard at work on their duties to ensure every customer was attended to. Makoto and Yusuke were assigned as greeters of the main floor of the establishment, greeting those who came into the shop and ensuring that all customers were attended to, as well as providing idle chat to keep them entertained. Haru had Ryuji accompany her on the upper balcony floor, establishing the same job as the ones working downstairs, with the extra task for Ryuji to run around and communicate whatever needs Haru needed to address to keep the shop going. Ann took charge at the front counter, accounting everyone's orders whilst she'd call over to both Ren and Futaba, who were in charge of most important task of making the requested drinks.

 _I gotta admit, these guys are very organized. They're acting as one working unit. Pretty cool!_ Morgana thought to himself, proud of the Phantom Thieve's efforts as he continually walked around the store, observing every little action that occurred. Although, being a cat walking around the coffee shop attracted many customers who ended up taking a moment to pet him, much to his annoyance. But they all seemed very joyful, so Morgana decided to suck it up for this one occasion and allow the customers to interact with him.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look! A kitty!" a young girl exclaimed, tugging at her mother's waist. The mother acknowledged her daughter and motioned her to pet Morgana, who took it like a champ. He noted the joy of the little girl over the small moment he shared with her.

 _Heheh, I'm beginning to like this whole petting thing._ Morgana thought to himself as he began purring. While enjoying the moment, he overheard a conversation occurring at the front counter.

"Hey, sweet cheeks. So.. you gonna be working here everyday?" a young guy spoke. Morgana noted the boy's appearance, recognizing as one of the senior classmates at Ren's school of Horikawa. This particular classmate was one of the co-leads of the school's basketball team, which was apparent by his tall and toned physique. At the moment, he seemed to be holding up the line as he attempted to flirt with Ann at the register. Morgana rolled his eyes at the encounter.

_Great.. whether it's in Tokyo or Kyoto, men are still going to be pestering Lady Ann.. She just can't catch a break!_

"Sorry! I'm just here to help my friend with the grand opening. What would you like to order?" Ann asked, maintaining her bubbly and polite demeanour towards the flirtatious student.

"How about I come back later and order us two coffees while we talk the night away?" The athletic student offered, leaning on the counter as he gave a gentle smile and attempted to allure Ann with his soft gaze. "I'd love to get to know you more, if that's alright with you."

"Uhm.. sorry, but I have to decline. I'm planning on spending the night later with my  _boyfriend_." Ann explained. She looked over behind her just as Ren passed by them, hard at work preparing the next order. Ren noticed the two of them conversing and immediately recognized the athletic student.

"Oh hey, what's up, Sakurai-san? I didn't know you drank coffee." Ren acknowledged the athletic student with a cheerful tone.

"Ugh! A-Amamiya? Y-You're dating this beautiful blonde?" the athletic student stuttered in sheer astonishment, pointing over to Ann in front of him. Ren raised an eyebrow and nodded. His classmate sighed as their shoulders slumped in defeat. "Ooof.. Dammit.. whatever. Just give me a venti iced latte with skim milk and I'll be on my way..."

Morgana had watched the entire ordeal unfold. He smirked at the sight of the athletic student walking away with his head lowered, sipping away vigorously at his iced latte in disappointment as he walked out of the cafe.

_Heheh… stick to the hoops, ball boy!_

* * *

_**~ MAY ~** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Okumaru Cafe** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

"Mweheheheh! Grand opening mission complete!" Futaba exclaimed as she and the rest of the Phantom Thieves clicked together their personalized coffee drinks. The rest of them, save for Ren and Haru, were lounging atop the outdoor upper balcony area of the shop, celebrating the success of the grand opening. The warm lights that were hung above the balcony lit up the area, giving off a relaxing atmosphere in the quiet night. Futaba gave everyone two thumbs-up. "I'd like to give our team an A rank score – for  _A-mazing_  customer service!"

"Seriously? You're gonna start doing puns now?" Ryuji groaned. He immediately sat in one of the shop's chairs and began drinking away at his iced chocolate mix. He was exhausted running around the store to ensure that everything was going smoothly and doing the assigned tasks given to him. Admittedly, he tripped a couple times, but managed to get all his tasks done. He noted that a majority of the customers were happy with the service and also overheard a couple of them suggesting that they would be returning very soon to relive the enjoyable experience.

"I must say, many of the customers I talked to admired the homely and welcoming environment this place offered. I believe that other than the fine drinks and foods, the interactions was what stood out most for them." Yusuke commented, with the others agreeing. Makoto confirmed that many customers took pleasure in the way the staff treated them. She made sure to provide a note for Haru on maintaining excellent customer service for the new staff that would begin soon.

"Hey.. where's your drink, Ann?" Ryuji asked. She sat comfortably in her seat whilst leaning forward with her head relaxed on her hands, simply enjoying the moment of celebration with her friends.

"Oh, no worries. Ren's downstairs making mine right now." Ann replied. Although, she had just noticed that it was taking longer than expected for Ren to make her drink. It had been a long day for her from taking every customer's orders. She didn't realize how exhausting it was to talk non-stop all day, all the while maintaining an upbeat attitude and remembering each order given to her. Ann couldn't wait to relax and indulge on a refreshing cup of coffee to ease her mind.

Out of nowhere, the speakers situated over the balcony area began to play music. The gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar playing a soft melody emitted from the speakers, giving off a peaceful and romantic vibe in the night. The overhead lights strung above the balcony began to glow red and flashed slowly in rhythm of the music. As if on cue, the door to the upper balcony opened. Ren entered the area, holding in his hands a wooden serving tray. It was decorated with a red, velvety cloth on top. The contents of the tray were two cappuccino cups, both having a heart design formed in the froth of the steaming liquid. A mini-cheesecake, topped with strawberries and whipped cream, sat in the middle of the tray on a grand plate. Two sets of forks were placed on the side.

"Enjoy the night." Makoto whispered to Ann, giving her friend a wink as she laid a hand on her shoulder. Makoto joined the rest of the Phantom Thieves as they slowly made their way towards the exit of the upper balcony, leaving Ren and Ann alone together.

"I gotta give props to you bro." Ryuji whispered, gently nudging Ren's arm as he passed by his friend. Ren simply nodded as he confidently walked over to where Ann was sitting, maintaining his gaze upon her.

"Huh? Wha-what's this all about?" Ann stuttered. She couldn't help but feel the blood rushing to her face as she began to blush, still attempting to process what was happening. At the same time, her heart began to race as Ren set the tray of sweets onto the table in front of her. Ann remained speechless at the unexpected gesture, only being able to stare back at Ren with a dumbfounded, yet pleasantly surprised look on her face.

"Did you forget? It's our monthsary." Ren explained, giving her a gentle smile. Ann hadn't kept track that this day would fall on their monthly anniversary. She had been so busy lately that it had slipped her mind for the time being since she focused with assisting with Haru's coffee shop. Ren took a moment to look up and listen to the soft acoustic guitar playing in the background, then proceeded to hold his hand out to Ann. "So the night's still young.. would you like to dance?"

"R-Ren.." Ann stuttered once more, feeling her face blush even harder than before. She slowly took Ren's hand and stood up, allowing him to guide her to the centre of the balcony. Embracing each other, the two began to slow dance along with the music playing in the background. Ann felt her heart begin to beat faster in the moment they were sharing. Resting her head on Ren's shoulder, she comfortably danced with him, listening to the music play around them. "Hold on… this song sounds familiar."

"Remember the night when you shared a song that reminded you of me, and I made you sing it over our video chat? Well, I managed to find an instrumental acoustic version of the song. It's what you're hearing right now." Ren explained. Ann felt a huge smile cover her face, surprised that Ren remembered such a small detail in their relationship. The two gazed at each other as they danced, allowing the soft strumming of the guitar to let their feelings speak for each other. As the instrumental transitioned to the chorus of the song, Ren began to sing gently along with it - just like Ann did for him over their video chat.

 _Even if I am on my own_  
_Even if there's really no hope_  
_I'll do anything so you know  
_ _There's no distance that I wouldn't go_

 _It's because I'm always with you_  
_And you always kept your faith in me_  
_And because I couldn't live to  
_ _See a world without you next to me_

Ann's heart began to melt at Ren's singing. His baritone voice mixed well with the instrumental guitar playing in the background. Ren and Ann gradually rested their foreheads against one another as they proceeded into a tighter embrace, closing their eyes while they continued enjoying the peaceful moment together. Ann eventually broke the silence. "Hey Ren.. are we really going to go along with Ryuji's whole band idea? Because I think you should be the lead singer.. I can't sing confidently like you just did."

"Ann, I believe you'll do an amazing job. You're always one to stay positive and determined in any task that you face.. And you won't be doing it alone. You'll have us to be with you. And I promise, along the way, I'll help you rekindle that confidence in your singing talent." Ren stated with assurance. Ann's heart fluttered once more – his statement reminded how dependable of a guy Ren was.

It was one of the many things she'd fallen in love about him.

"Listen… I'll be honest with you. About yesterday.. I did feel a little bothered that you still didn't tell your parents about us yet. It's just.. I don't want you to be afraid of our relationship. Your parents are amazing.. but I want to present my complete self to them – as your  _girlfriend_." Ann spoke with honesty. She sensed a deep thought interject in Ren's mind when she expressed her concern. So far their relationship was smooth and full of joyful moments together as they made the best out of the long-distance between them. This was one of those moments that Ann felt appropriate to address her feelings in person, believing that this concern was one of their first roadblocks in their relationship that may hinder it to grow.

"I know.. I guess in terms of relationships like ours, I'm still fairly new to them. The change in dynamic can be quite drastic - and it has been one that I'm still adjusting to this day. And I realize that it will also have an effect with our other bonds as well." Ren replied – thinking about his friends. So far, from his perspective, they were all open and accepting to his relationship with Ann. Ren appreciated the honesty Ann brought during their tender moment. "I do believe that timing is everything as well. Just as I promised on the night you guys drove me back home, I  _will_  tell my parents about you eventually, Ann, because I know that waiting for the right moment will be worth it – especially since it's  _you_  I'm with. But right now, regardless of the small stresses that have become a part of our daily lives – amidst them all, I just want to enjoy the moments I spend with you."

Ann gave a gentle smile to her boyfriend. Peace filled her mind, sensing the genuine intentions from Ren's comments. He was right about how timing is important. Heck - she remembered having to wait weeks until Ren was released from juvenile hall when they fought for his freedom from his case against Shido's false accusation of assault towards him. For now, she took Ren's words to heart – and like him- would determine herself to simply enjoy every moment they could spend together.

Just like this one.

Morgana let out a sigh as he continued watching from inside as Ren and Ann danced atop the balcony. The rest of the Phantom Thieves took refuge in the corner of the upper dining room and resumed their conversations, deciding to give the couple respect and alone time for their romantic moment. As much as Morgana wished that was him sharing this tender moment with Ann, he couldn't help but notice the smiles the two brought to each other as they danced. He felt the sense of peace and joy radiate from them. The whole world seemed to pause around them as they focused on each other's presence. Regardless of the busy day they had, the couple managed to make the most out of the time they had together.

Morgana was slowly beginning to understand their happiness – and for whatever reason, he felt a smile overcome his face. He turned back and was about to join the rest of the Phantom Thieves when he realized not all of them were there.

_...Wait a minute.. where's Haru?_

Just then, Morgana's ears perked up, catching the sound of sobbing from the floor below them. Concerned, he rushed downstairs, finding the room to be dimly lit with only the light from the moon beaming inside through the windows. Sitting by her lonesome, with a pile of used tissue in front of her, was Haru. Approaching her, Morgana noticed the stream of tears running down her face. Haru eventually realized that he was there and proceeded to wipe away her tears in embarrassment.

"Haru? Hey, are you alright?" Morgana asked. He turned his head slightly to the side, wondering what Haru was crying about.

"Ohh… uhm.. it's nothing Mona-chan. I'm fine.." Haru tried to speak in her usual bubbly tone, but did not have enough energy to conceal her pain and caused her voice to quiver. She took a moment to regain her composure, letting out a deep sigh. "...actually. Mona-chan, I have a serious question for you. Do you find it hard to see Lady Ann with someone else?"

Morgana was taken aback by her question. "Haru.. where is all this coming from?"

"You're a lot more obvious than you think.." Haru confessed, giving out a small chuckle as she continued wiping away her tears. She proceeded to look out from her coffee shop's window, noting the peaceful streets outside – as well as the soft playing of music coming from above, reminding herself what was happening with a certain couple. Regardless of the calm night and the success of her coffee shop grand opening, her heart was feeling the opposite. Haru lowered her head and began to express her inner thoughts. "Seeing someone you've fallen hard for, only to see them be happy with someone else.. It's unfair. But that's our selfish desires taking over our hearts. If we truly love and care for that person.. then you should be happy for them. Seeing their joy.. should bring you joy as well… right?"

Morgana thought about Haru's perspective on the issue. Joy within a relationship shouldn't be self-seeking, but wanting the best for the other person connected in the bond. Doing everything you can to ensure their happiness, no matter how big or small the sacrifice. What Haru allowed to happen among the upper balcony of her own coffee shop, she knew it would bring her close friends a heartwarming and delightful moment - even if at the cost of her own. The pain they endured would help to remind ourselves not to take our own moments of joy for granted. And it would be wrong to take someone else's joy away for our own benefit.

For some reason, Haru's words suddenly hit Morgana. His mind began to understand more and more on the concepts of joy through the past few weeks. Regardless of the long-distance that put itself between their relationship, Ren and Ann still managed to find joy through their limited time together, whether it'd be Ren traveling to Tokyo for a day, or vice-versa with Ann. No matter the time constraints, they'd put all their efforts into having fun and enjoying each other's presence – not taking any of it for granted. How they spent their time together factored into the amount of jubilation they experienced – whether it was through the small moments at night when they were video chatting with each other, or grandiose moments such as their mochi fights and helping out at the coffee shop with their friends – it built their relationship through these meaningful activities they shared.

Understanding the pain Haru was going through, Morgana proceeded to jump onto her lap, making himself comfortable as he lied down. He sensed that Haru needed someone to be with right now to overcome the sorrow she was going through – something Morgana could definitely relate to. Haru noted Morgana's purring as he cuddled his head towards her body, feeling a sense of relief that she wasn't alone anymore. Morgana suddenly spoke up to her.

"Don't worry Haru.. we'll eventually find our own significant other to be happy with someday. But for now, I want you to know that being with you brings me  **joy**. This coffee shop you've built will surely bring happier memories for everyone in this city. And that's because you want to put their  **joy**  above yours." Morgana reminded her.

The words of Futaba back when Morgana hung out with her in Kyoto suddenly echoed in his mind.

_Keep looking forward, Mona-chan._

"Keep looking forward, Haru." Morgana said with reassurance.

Haru felt a smile grow on her face, believing in Morgana's words and feeling her own heart beginning to heal, enjoying the simple presence of her friend willing to comfort her. The sense of sadness she was feeling soon dissipated into comfort as she enjoyed her friend's company.

As Morgana rested on her lap, he hadn't noticed that one of the stones within the Spirit Amulet around his neck began to fully glow. A voice of a familiar girl from the Velvet Room rang into Morgana's mind.

 _Good job.. you have discovered the true meaning of_ _**joy** _ _in human relationships.. And have unlocked one of the eight Spirit Attributes.. We will be meeting very soon.._

_._

_.._

_..._

_**To be continued!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is probably one of my favourite chapters that I've written so far!
> 
> Does anyone watch Angel Beats? The song Ren and Ann sing to each other is entitled "Ichiban no Takaramono" but basically the English version for this story. I recommend listening to it - knowing how the song sounds like will help imagine the romantic moment between Ren and Ann dancing together all the more better :)
> 
> More updates to come in the following weeks!
> 
> \- Azurixx
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	6. Audition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana and Lavenza move forward to the next phase of their contract. Ann pursues an audition and requests the support of Ren.

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 6: AUDITION**

* * *

 **= The Velvet Room =  
** **Lavenza's Bedroom**

* * *

Within the realm between mind and matter existed the Velvet Room. In a small pocket of that mysterious universe lied the domain of Lavenza, the youngest of the Velvet siblings. Her current guest, Morgana in his Metaverse form, accompanied her as they expected the Spirit Amulet in his possession. Currently, the amulet had one of the eight stones glowing, meaning that one of it's attributes had been realized and now fully formed into energy required to power it up. Lavenza immediately summoned Morgana to her domain when he slumbered after helping out at Haru's coffee shop.

"I am glad that I have assigned you this task in realizing the power of the Spirit Amulet," Lavenza commented. She knelt down before Morgana, who sat on top of a chair in order to allow Lavenza a closer look at the amulet around his neck. "It seems that you have unlocked the power of understanding the concept of  **joy** which humans share within their relationships. I should not have doubted you in the first place at all, Morgana."

"I feel like  **joy**  would have been the easiest one to understand anyway," Morgana commented, standing with his arms to his hips proud of his achievement. He suddenly realized what Lavenza said with her last comment. "Wait! You actually doubted  _my_ abilities on this assignment? Even after what I've done with recruiting the Phantom Thieves and defeating Yaldebaoth from destroying the world?"

"Yes, I did doubt you. My assumptions were that there would be problems on the task with your feelings towards Ann Takamaki." Lavenza explained. She had known that Morgana still had feelings of affection towards Ann, one of the two main subjects of the bond Lavenza tasked him to evaluate. "But from my understanding with the amulet in your possession, you've managed to find  **joy**  through your friend's love for one another. This attribute has helped you come to peace with their relationship. Their happiness is not simply one they will share between each other, but onlookers, such as yourself, have learned the amount of joy they feel for one another – which will inspire those around to find their own source of bliss within their respective lives."

"Hmph… so it is true. Not that I have attained this attribute into the Spirit Amulet, you too, Lavenza, now understand what true  **Joy**  is in relationships and how humans express that." Morgana was impressed by the powers of the amulet. He realized that with this contract he made with Lavenza, it would also benefit him in his own maturity on how relationships and human bonds truly worked - especially with getting over his admiration for Ann. Yet, with only one of the eight attributes realized, it would still be a long journey for Morgana to fully power up the Spirit Amulet to unlock it's final power of helping him become human.

_To become human.. I wonder what I'll look like when I finish creating this amulet._

"Say, Lavenza.. where did you get this Spirit Amulet anyway? Did you create this yourself?" Morgana asked, receiving silence from her. Lavenza took a moment to answer his question.

"..For the mean time, I cannot disclose this information to you yet." Lavenza answered. "Just continue on your task at hand and I will inform you on further details, if necessary."

Morgana raised an eyebrow at Lavenza, but decided not to pry for more details. Deciding that there was nothing else to discuss at the moment, Morgana climbed into the queen bed and fell asleep, returning into the real world. Ensuring that Morgana had left her realm, Lavenza opened up her  _Le Grimoire_ book, flipping over to the section regarding the Spirit Amulet and began to study its further chapters, noting an important piece of information now that Morgana realized the first attribution to power up the amulet.

_The Spirit Palace… Room of Attribution… Shadows.. All will come into play later on.._

* * *

_**\- JUNE -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan**_   
_**Shujin Academy  
** **Lunchtime**_

* * *

The bell of Shujin Academy rang as students rushed out of their classrooms, heading out to fill up their empty stomachs during lunch break. As it was summertime, the entire student congregation wore their summer uniforms - consisting of the white shirt and traditional red and black plaid bottoms. In one of the many classrooms, Ann Takamaki began packing up her notes into her school bag. After zipping up her bag, she took a moment to look over the empty desk behind her. It had been preoccupied by another student who left already. By habitual instinct, Ann would sometimes look back, only to be reminded that Ren wasn't sitting behind her anymore.

_I wonder who Ren sits behind in class now.. I hope it's not another girl in front of him.. Ugh, stop thinking like that, Takamaki! You know he's not that type of guy, heheh._

Shaking the thought out of her head, Ann got up and proceeded down to the cafeteria of Shujin Academy to eat lunch. Luckily, the volleyball team had practice outside, meaning that it would be free from them taking over the area and crowding up all the seats. She lined up and received her plate of the lunch special for today: grilled fish, potatoes and veggies. Ann noted how it smelled delicious for cafeteria food – with the grilled fish reminding her of Morgana's obsession to all things fishy. Taking a seat, Ann gave a prayer of grace and began eating her lunch. Whilst eating, she took out her phone to check out a couple things.

 _Heheh… too cute._ Ann paused for a moment, smiling at her lock screen. It showed her most recent photo that she updated her phone's background with: a selfie of both Ren and Ann sitting together with the lights of Haru's coffee shop in the background mixed in with the night sky. Ann sat close beside Ren, with his arms wrapped around her, while she slightly tilted her head to be closer to him with her free arm wrapping around his shoulder while the other arm was used for their selfie. Both of them faced the camera smiling. The lock screen reminded her of the special night Ren prepared a week ago in conjunction to their monthsary. Ann couldn't believe how lucky she was to be with someone who knew how to be so grandiose with romantic gestures  _and_  to be able to keep it a secret.

_Alright.. stop getting distracted. Time to get to work!_

Ann took out her headphones and connected them to her phone. She opened up a video-sharing website and began to type into the search bar:

_SEARCH: [ Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory. ]_

Finding the related video she wanted, Ann started it as the upbeat Featherman theme song played before cutting away to a fight scene of five multi-colored rangers standing heroically in a wide open canyon area. Facing them atop an elevated plain was a lone monster resembling an alligator wearing a samurai armour. The villain began to shake their fist against the Featherman team in frustration.

_Hissssss! You may have demolished my lizard men, but will you have the guts to defeat me? Mwuahahahah!_

The samurai alligator raised their hand into the air. Sparkles of dark light began to envelop from the sky towards the villain as they began to glow. The villain began laughing menacingly as they suddenly grew hundreds of feet into the air.

 _Phoenix Ranger Feathermen! Let us call upon our Phoenix-Zord!_ The pink ranger Featherman, known as Pink Argus, commanded to her team. The rest of the Phoenix Feathermen called upon their respective Phoenix-Zords, which combined together to form a single, gigantic gundam machine wielding two katanas. The Phoenix Rangers shouted their battle cry as they jumped into their Phoenix-Zord and charged towards the towering samurai alligator as the two fought dramatically within the canyon.

 _Geez.. this show is pretty crazy.._ Ann thought to herself, watching as the Phoenix-Zord managed to successfully slice away at the samurai alligator and eventually knocking down the gargantuan monster, before posing triumphantly as the villain exploded. Ann's eyes widened in surprise.  _Huh? Wait, does that happen to all the monsters they defeat? That's so cool!_

"Heeeeeyy!" a voice disrupted her. Ann jumped into her seat as she dropped her phone onto the table. Sitting across from her was Futaba, happily grinning to her as she prepared to consume her lunch that Sojiro-san had made for her.

"F-Futaba! How long have you been there?!" Ann stuttered, hastily taking off her headphones. "Uhm.. no offense, but why aren't you hanging out with your usual friends - like.. uhmm.. Kasumi Yoshizawa?"

"Ehh.. we've been talking all day during class. I got bored of them. So now I'm gonna hang out with you!" Futaba exclaimed. She enthusiastically took a bite out of her own lunch as she leaned over to see what video Ann was watching. Futaba almost jumped out of her seat in excitement as she saw the familiar television show still playing on Ann's phone. "WHOOOOOOOAH! You also watch Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory too? You've definitely skyrocketed up my list of cool people I know, Ann! Who's your favourite Featherman? For me, it's gotta be a tie between Red Hawk and Pink Argus. I mean, Red Hawk has such a cool sword! But Pink Argus looks so badass with that awesome bow and arrow she has-"

Futaba's mouth continued to rapidly spew out her favorite Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory facts. Ann rolled her eyes and had to literally lean over to cover Futaba's mouth with her own hand in order to prompt the excited teenager to shut up.

"Listen – I've only just started watching this show recently for  _studying_  purposes," Ann explained, carefully removing her hand covering Futaba's mouth.

"Excuse me?" Futaba questioned, tilting her head to the side with a confused look to what Ann said. Studying purposes? Was Ann taking a top secret Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory class that she didn't know about? Why didn't Futaba know about this? If this class truly existed, then Futaba needed to be in this class no matter what!

"Uhm.. don't tell anyone about this yet, but I'm thinking of checking out an audition this weekend.." Ann quietly said, looking around her in hopes that no one else was listening to their conversation. "They're having auditions for a tv movie special based on the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory show. I saw a casting call online asking for a group of high schoolers to be a new incarnation of the team – and I'm hoping to get the role of the new Pink Argus!"

"Duuuude! That's  _super_ cool! You're gonna be a Phoenix Ranger Featherman!" Futaba exclaimed, slamming her fists onto the table in excitement, causing the entire cafeteria to go quiet and stare at them. Ann immediately gave her an intimidating glare, causing Futaba to recoil in he seat and yelp in embarrassment. "Eeep.. sorry.. Wait – why do you suddenly want to be an actor? I thought modelling was going to be your ultimate life goal, Ann?"

"Well yeah - that's still going to be my main goal. But I've been thinking – some famous models I know have aspired to broaden their horizons in other talents, whether it'd be singing, dancing, even acting! I wanna try new things as well and beef up my resume!" Ann explained. With her modelling career alone, she had been able to grow an incredible image within the community – but Ann realized that she could also grow her circle of influence and expand upon her skills. Remembering her promise to Shiho to become strong, Ann figured out that she could also show others to not be afraid to try new things.

"So out of all the things you could try out, you decided to add  _acting_  into your interests, eh?" Futaba thought over the possibility for a moment. She recalled the various times that Ann had attempted to use her acting abilities to help the Phantom Thieves get out of tight situations. Futaba shuttered at her recollection of Ann's cringeworthy attempts. "Oh my.. that sort of future doesn't bode well.."

"Hey, come on! Have faith in me!" Ann argued, almost causing Futaba to fall back out of her seat from the sudden outburst. "Look, I'll admit, I don't have A-Class acting yet, but I'm trying to change that! I've been watching acting tutorials online, studied over different types of movie genres for reference - I even checked out this theatre workshop a couple days ago!"

"Okay okay okay okay! I got it! I got it! You  _definitely_ got this in the bag, Ann!" Futaba attempted to diffuse the situation, panicking in her seat as she was hoping not to further annoy Ann. As the two eventually calmed down and began to resume their lunch, a thought popped into Futaba's head. "Hey, what does Ren think about this"

"Oh.. uhm, I haven't really told him yet. But I'm planning on tonight!" Ann answered. She was enthusiastic of her boyfriend's eventual support on her next endeavour. Ren had always been by her side in everything that she had done. And this wouldn't be the first time Ann had brought up the idea of acting as she remembered talking about pursuing an action move career to Ren before putting her focus full-time on modelling. Ann also recalled the vast amount of times when she would request for Ren's assistance on a goal she wanted to pursue, and that he was always there to support her – even before the two began dating.

"Hmmm… I wonder how he'll react." Futaba whispered to herself, rubbing her chin as she imagined the couple's conversation play out in her head. "Oh boy.. may true mercy be granted upon our leader tonight.."

"What was that?" Ann asked, raising an eyebrow to Futaba.

"Oh, nothing! Heheheheh."

* * *

 _**\- JUNE -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan**_  
_**Amamiya Residence  
** **Evening**_

* * *

"Wha- acting? Oh, okay.." Ren coughed in surprise, before immediately recovering his voice to reflect a supportive tone towards his girlfriend. It was nighttime within Kyoto as he and Ann were in the middle of their routine video call. The two had been reflecting upon the events of their day when Ann eventually brought up her interest in the audition for the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory television movie special. Hearing the news, Ren hid slight doubts on his mind from her, but wanted to support Ann with her goals. He still attempted to be realistic with her expectations. "Hmm.. are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, you don't have actual acting experience at all and this will be your first time auditioning for anything."

 _"No worries! I've been doing some studying on what's expected from casting calls and proper etiquette in auditions."_ Ann's voice spoke from Ren's phone. The boy sat tucked away in his blankets with his back sitting against the wall as he listened, with Ann mimicking him from the other end of their video call.  _Although, I was a bit concerned if there were resume requirements. "But I made sure to double check and it said they were open to all who were interested! They might be wanting some fresh new faces unfamiliar in the industry. Lucky me, right?"_

Morgana had been listening to their conversation the whole night as he rested comfortably on the sheets near the foot of Ren's bed, reflecting on his most recent meeting with Lavenza. With the true understanding of the concept of  **joy**  within relationships through the help of the Spirit Amulet, Morgana was now able to find amusement in the conversations between Ren and Ann. With this specific moment, Morgana couldn't help but chuckle as Ren shifted under his bed sheets as he tried to find a way to show his support for Ann.

 _Mweheheh.. I can totally tell he's struggling to be supportive just by the way his body is squirming under the sheets._ Morgana thought to himself as he watched Ren continue to express his concern with Ann's decision to act. Even Morgana sympathized with Ren's support for his girlfriend's choice, witnessing first account that her acting skills were..  _unique_  to say, recalling the times she had to use them when the group needed to change Madarame's cognition and within Shido's Palace in order to gain a letter of recommendation.  _Oh Lady Ann.. it's fortunate as a model that all you have to do is stand and look pretty.. but when it comes to acting.. yikes!_

"I just want to make sure you've thought this thoroughly," Ren explained, trying to provide Ann perspective in this decision. It appeared that Ann was one-hundred percent committed. Scratching the side of his head, Ren inquired more about her choice to proceed with the acting role. "Hey, have you mentioned this to Shiho yet? I feel that maybe you should ask her first before seeing my point of view on this."

 _"Relax, Amamiya! It's not like I'm going to quit modelling! And I did ask Shiho. She said it was super awesome for me to broaden my skills and to pursue this! She's just the best in supporting my dreams, heheh."_ Ann replied.

 _Dammit, Shiho-san.. you're great and all, but why'd you have to one-up on me with this?_ Ren thought to himself, clenching his fist that was grasping part of the blanket on top of him. Didn't Shiho realize the capabilities of Ann's acting and how it needed  _lots_ of improvement? Not to discredit Ann from trying out this role, but Ren thought that she would need more time on something like this. Letting out a quiet sigh, Ren began scratching the back of his head in cold sweat, pondering on how he should proceed with the situation.

 _"Uhmm.. Ren? You seem really quiet right now.. Is something wrong?"_  Ann asked, watching her phone screen as Ren absent-mindedly rubbed the side of his head in silence for a long time. She furrowed her eyebrow at him. " _Hey.. you support me with my decision.. right?"_

"T-Totally! Yay for acting..! Yipee..!" Ren tried to say with an enthusiastic tone, but it ended up coming out weak and unconvincing. To add to the cringe, Ren accompanied his reply with an awkward fist pump into the air and a sheepish grin.

Morgana groaned as he buried his face into the sheets in sheer embarrassment.

_Oh my goodness.. These two really are a match for each other! They both suck at acting…_

_"Hey! I just thought of something we could try right now! Why don't I show you some of my acting skills while you give me feedback! You have to be honest though, 'kay?"_ Ann suddenly exclaimed.

"Uhm.. uhh.. well-" Ren had to choose his words carefully in this scenario. He needed a right amount of balance between firmness and honesty. But how was he going to gain the strength to endure Ann's acting? Right now, she seemed very committed in her decision. Ren knew he had to tough it out for her, as he truly wanted to be supportive towards her dreams. Ann looked up to him for encouragement, therefore Ren could not let her down on this simple request. "..Alright then, Takamaki! Give me your best shot!"

 _What boldness! He's really going to let himself suffer through her cringey acting abilities. Props to you, Ren!_ Morgana commented to himself.

 _"Heheh, thanks babe! You're the best!"_ Ann shifted her position in her bed, sitting up confidently as she cleared her throat. Ren waited as Ann began going through one of the lines from the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory show she had been watching earlier. Taking a deep breath, she spewed out the line:

 _"Phoeeeeeeeeenix Rangerrrr Feathermen! Let is call upon our….. PHOENIX-ZORD! Go go goooooooo! HIYAAAH!"_ Ann shouted forcefully, making fighting moves with her arms in front of her, finishing off with a heroic pose as she held a fist in the air. She giggled, feeling a sense of adrenaline go through her. " _Whoah! I felt something there, like a surge of power rushing inside me when I said that line! So! What'd you think, babe?"_

"Uhhh… it was.. very.. enthusiastic." Ren said in hesitance, slowly giving a thumbs-up to Ann. In his mind, he thought it was the most over-the-top acting he'd witnessed yet. What was up with the random emphasis on certain syllables? And the lack of control in her vocal range made it sound like she was attempting to convey anger instead of heroism. Ren thought that his phone's speakers would suddenly explode from her sheer volume.

_"Huh? Uh.. Ren, where's that sound coming from?"_

"It's just Morgana.. I think he's.. coughing out a hairball!?" Ren commented. He looked over to the sudden source of the gagging sounds as Morgana was hunched over on his bed. Morgana's stomach began contracting rapidly as he kept his mouth wide open, forcefully pushing out something from his throat. Suddenly a ball of dry hair plopped itself onto Ren's sheets, fortunately not making much of a mess. Ren sighed as he climbed out from under his sheets to find some napkins to clean up the hairball while he lectured Morgana. "Really? Did you have to do it on my bed?"

 _Uggh… Ann's acting ability was so bad, it actually made me throw up… HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!_ Morgana sulked. He stared back at the random hairball that he coughed up, then turned over to Ren with an apologetic look on his face as his carer picked it up and threw it in the garbage. How did all  _that_ get into his stomach? Was it because he kept talking a lot that he ended up swallowing his fur every now and then?  _Geez.. I can't wait until I become human. Then I won't have to be worrying about throwing out that abomination every so often… yeck._

After washing up his hands, Ren hopped back into his bed. On his phone, he noticed that Ann was silently deep in thought as she looked down to her twiddling thumbs. She was nervously biting her lips with a bothered look, prompting Ren to console her. "Ann, what's on your mind? You were so energetic a moment ago. Tell me what's up."

 _"Ren.. to be honest with you, I'm really nervous about this audition."_ Ann began to open up.  _I know it seems like I'm really enthusiastic, as well as overconfident. But the truth is, I guess I am being like this in order to try and remove any sort of doubt or fear in my mind.. You know.. pretending to be brave when in reality I feel the opposite."_

Unexpectedly, Ren gave out a small chuckle, catching Ann by surprise. " _Huh? Hey, wait! Why are you laughing!? I'm being genuine with my feelings right now and you're just taking this as a joke?!"_

"Ann, after what you've told me, you  _totally_  have this audition in the bag." Ren confided with her, yet she could only give a confused look back to him. "I hadn't noticed at all that you were nervous during our entire conversation. You were.. dare I say it,  _acting._ I'm surprised you didn't notice it yourself."

Ren was right. Ann had the capabilities of acting. She just had to hone her abilities and truly believe it herself. The sense of nervousness she felt weighing upon her had been undetectable to her boyfriend until now, for she masked it away with her underlying enthusiasm and commitment and creating this facade of bravery. And isn't that what  _acting_ is about: to pretend you're feeling one way when in reality it's something else?

"Maybe you need to learn more about understanding the characters you portray.. just as how you're learning more and more about yourself each day. Like now, when you've come to terms that you were hesitant about this audition." Ren further advised. He gave her a reassuring smile right after. "It's like how I've learned to come to terms with my feelings towards you.. I may seem calm and collected when we hang out, but every time I'm around you, I feel like I'm in heaven and want to yell out to the world about how happy I am to be with the amazing Ann Takamaki.."

 _"Amamiya.. I would kiss you right now if I could."_ Ann giggled, finding herself turning red once more. She ended up covering her lower face with her blanket in embarrassment, whilst giving Ren a look of admiration from her gaze alone. This boy somehow knew all the right things to say to make her feel better – and he seemed to do it without even trying! These moments solidified her dependence on Ren to help bring out the confident side of her.

_"Ren.. I know this is a lot to ask from you.. but would it be possible for you to be with me during my audition?"_

Morgana's ears perked up. Wasn't her audition on a weekday, when classes were still going? Before Morgana could provide his own input, Ren answered with no hesitation on his part.

"Of course."

 _HUUUUUUUH!? Wait! What about school? Was he seriously going to ditch class? This guy must be crazy! What if his parents found out? Why would he do that?_ Morgana's mouth dropped. Ren didn't even give it a second thought. Even Ann expressed a little concern about his answer.

_"Oh.. really? Heheh, I appreciate it, Ren.. But aren't you worried about skipping classes?"_

"Ann, I can always catch up on my school work. But I want to be with you through every important event in your life. And I feel that this might be one of them.. Whether you obtain this role or not, I'll be there by your side whenever you ask me." Ren spoke with certainty. He noted the heartwarming smile from Ann as she thanked him for his support.

Morgana noted Ren's willingness to make the required sacrifices in order to support Ann. Although, Morgana wasn't worried about his Ren's school grades – reminding himself that Ren was able to make it top of his class last year in Shujin despite their focus on the Phantom Thieves. Ren was going to travel all the way back to Tokyo for one day just to be there for Ann's audition at her request.

Wouldn't simply saying, " _Duhh, I believe in you and I'll also be with you in spirit_ " be a lot more easier than Ren putting himself through all the trouble?

Yet through this example, Morgana began understanding this strong sense of  **service**  Ren offered to Ann – a man of dependability who'd bypass all lengths to tackle any circumstance that would challenge his lover.

 _Human relationships not only require_ _**joy** _ _– but selfless sacrifice for those you care about.. I see.._

* * *

 _**\- JUNE -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan**_  
_**Television Studio Hallway  
** **Daytime**_

* * *

Within the busy streets of Tokyo was a massive television studio which housed a variety of video productions, such as recordings for sitcoms, news reporting, the shopping channel and game shows. At the very moment, the core production team of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory television show was using a couple of their offices to set up auditions for their upcoming movie special based on a new generation of the team. The studio specifically requested for new faces in order to reel in a new viewers and provide a fresh take on the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory team.

"Whoah! There's actually a lot of people here." Morgana commented to Ren. Right now, the trio were seated within a long hallway leading up to one of the offices being used for auditions on the various roles of the movie special. Both he and Ren had left Kyoto early in the morning, allowing them to arrive in Tokyo before lunchtime in order to accompany Ann to her audition. Ren managed to convince a couple of his classmates to cover for him, in case the teachers back at Horikawa High wondered about his absence. Fortunately, they'd be able to return home after Ann's audition in order to avoid any suspicion from his parents.

"Morgana, please be quiet. You can't be caught, otherwise we'll be kicked out." Ren whispered into his bag on his lap. He noticed a few people sitting close by had looked around in confusion at the sound of a cat meowing. Morgana apologized as he tucked his head back into the bag.

Peeking out from the small opening, Morgana watched intently to Ann sitting beside Ren. As this was simply a casting call, it didn't require any sort of formal attire, as it was encouraged for those who were auditioning to come as they were. It didn't stop Ann from putting on her best wardrobe in order to make herself stand out more. For this occasion however, instead of her usual pigtails, Ann allowed her hair to flow down to her shoulders.

 _Man… why can't Lady Ann let her hair down like this all the time?_ Morgana thought to himself. To him, it felt like an angel was sitting right in front of him. _And even when Lady Ann is nervous, she still looks stunning as ever.._

"I'm so glad you're here with me, Ren-kun. You just sitting beside me helps calm my nerves down." Ann spoke with gratitude, interlocking her hands with Ren's as he nodded to her in assurance. The days leading up to the audition, Ann made sure to watch more episodes of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory series in order to understand more of the character's intentions, hoping to capture the right tone and mannerisms required for the role of Pink Argus. With the encouragement of both Ren and Shiho, Ann was able to relax her mind and gain the confidence she needed for the audition.

The line to the audition room gradually shortened as more people went in to present their acting abilities to the producers of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory show. Morgana watched from within Ren's bag as different individuals passed by, either showing great enthusiasm after their audition, or sheer regret to the thought that they didn't make it. Morgana felt a little bad for those who came all the way for a shot at a possible breakout role, only to be turned down if the producers didn't feel like they were a good fit.

 _Geez.. this is a rough industry.. No way are you guaranteed a role, which means that so many aspiring actors must be spending most of their time without jobs – or an income._ Morgana pondered to himself. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a sudden applause from the audition room, followed by comments of praise.

"Oh my goodness! What an astounding performance! Amazing!"

"Heheh, yeah! You definitely captured the character of Pink Argus!"

"What!?" Ann yelped in her seat after hearing the conversation within the audition room. The others waiting behind them looked in annoyance by her reaction. Ann ended up grabbing Ren's shoulder's tightly as worry began to overwhelm her. Ren helplessly groaned as her grip got tighter.

"Ann! Whoa, calm down. I'm sure they say that to everyone to be polite.." Ren attempted to assure Ann, having also heard the comment from within the audition room. His attempts to reassure Ann had no effect in calming her down as she tightened her grip on him even further. "Gahh! Ann, stop! That actually hurts!"

"Sorry!" Ann quickly apologized as she let go of Ren and began to rub his shoulder to soothe over the pain she had just inflicted. Ann sighed. One simple comment she overheard had suddenly got to her nerves. She couldn't let her mind be distracted. All she could do was give her best acting abilities to impress the producers. Just then, the doors of the audition room open. Looking over to the actor who was just complimented, Ann's eyes widened in disbelief on who it was. "No… no freakin' way!"

"Ohh.. Hello there, Takamaki-san. It's a pleasure to see you." a girl spoke in a sarcastic tone, walking up to both Ann and Ren. The girl wore a light blue dress, along with a pearl necklace around her neck. She had brown eyes matching with her long brown hair that flowed down to her shoulders. She rested her hands on her hips in prideful manner. "Hmph! I didn't know you were getting into the acting business as well. Have the modelling agencies already started dropping you? I wouldn't be surprised.."

"Who is this chick?" Morgana whispered over to Ren, who was already shaking his head at the confrontation happening. Ren had recognized the other girl from the many photoshoots that Ann had gone to last year. Morgana began to connect the two together. "No way, is this the aforementioned rival that has been attempting to one-up Lady Ann whenever the chance she gets?"

"Well it's nice to see you too..  _Mika_." Ann furrowed her brows as she crossed her arms. Mika had become more or less the rival of Ann ever since last year. She had constantly taken advantage of Ann's better nature in order to make herself look good for the various modelling agencies she manipulated in order for them to use her likeliness. Cunning as she was, Ann had to admit Mika's work ethic and determination in moving up in the modelling industry. "I wasn't aware that you would be here for the audition as well.. I thought you were busy with other photoshoots nowadays, considering how often you've been appearing in magazines lately."

"I mean, since I've been doing  _so_  well in my modelling career, I just  _had_ to broaden my talents elsewhere. What better way than to show my glorious face on  _both_ the magazines and television screens!" Mika explained in a boastful manner. She turned over to Ren and leaned forward to him in a seductive manner. "Ohhh.. well if it isn't the boyfriend.. How about I show you how a true woman treats you, hmmm?"

"WHAT! WHY I OUGHTA'-" Before Ann could stand up and tell her off, Mika's phone began to vibrate. Ignoring Ann's rage building up, Mika excused herself as she began heading to the exit of the television studio offices, giving one final word to her rival.

"By the way, I hope you weren't planning on auditioning for the Pink Argus role. The producers just gave me such  _gleaming_  reviews of my performance that they said I was most likely guaranteed the role! But no worries, I'm sure they'll have a  _supporting_  role ready for you. Ciao, hahahah!" Mika taunted, not bothering to turn her around as she waved her hand back to the couple.

"Grr… how dare she belittle Lady Ann like that! Why, if I wasn't stuck in this bag, I'd rip her dress into shreds with my claws!" Morgana grumbled under his breath. "See if Mika still looks good after I'm done with her.."

"Uhmm… Ann, are you going to be okay?" Ren questioned, turning over to his girlfriend. He noticed that Ann's breathing began to become heavier, with an expression of fury overwhelming her face as she gritted he teeth. Her fists clenched up beside her as she came to a revelation.

"It's like.. she knew I was already pursuing this role.. and made sure to come here before I did..." Ann spoke under her breath. To think that she was beginning to find her own path not simply just as a model, but an individual in general. It felt that Mika had been keeping close tabs on Ann the entire time, keeping herself one step ahead of Ann to prevent her from shining. A sudden wave of determination rushed though Ann, not wanting to be defeated by her rival once again. She stood up confidently from her seat and pumped her fists into the air in motivation. "Hmph! First stealing photoshoots from others. Then stealing acting roles. And now she had the nerve to try and steal  _my_ man? There's  _no_  way I'm going to let Mika get that part! I'm gonna act the  _hell_ out to those producers and show them who's the best Pink Argus! Then who's going to have the last laugh now, huh Mika? I will!"

"Ann Takamaki?" the voice of an older adult spoke up. Standing from the audition room's door, an older male dressed in a suit stared over to Ann in a confused look as she was frozen in her pose, having watched the entire ordeal between her and Mika. He looked down to the clipboard in his hand, then back to her. "Uhm.. I believe you're up next.."

"Alright! It's time show 'em what I've got!" Ann announced in, still fired up with raw emotion. She quickly marched into the audition room with style, driven in the moment that she completely forgot to acknowledge Ren and Morgana. The doors closed as Ren sat there in bewilderment.

"Whoah! Lady Ann is suddenly so fierce! That Mika girl must have really gotten to her, huh?" Morgana peeked out. Turning over to Ren, he simply sat there with his head lowered, worrying about Ann's emotions possibly clouding her focus from acting properly. Morgana chuckled. "Don't worry, she'll be fine. Maybe that extra boost of passion will help her stand out in her audition!"

Both Ren and Morgana awaited within the hallway, listening intently as Ann's audition went underway. They heard the voices of the producers calmly explain the role to Ann. Right after, her voiced echoed inside the room with a furious tone as she proclaimed the lines of Pink Argus. The rest of the waiting actors in the hallway gave surprised looks from the constant shouting that Ann let out as she went through her lines. Ren lowered his head as he took of his glasses and rubbed his eyes in distress.

 _She's overdoing it.. Isn't she supposed to sound humble and heroic? Right now it sounds like someone stepped all over her favourite lipstick and now she's berating them.._ Morgana thought to himself. Just like Ren, he knew that Ann should've taken more time to think this through and learn how to control her emotions through her acting. What kind of Pink Argus was she trying to portray? Regardless, she'd definitely achieve her goal with standing out to the producers. All he and Ren could do was offer a shoulder for support.

The commotion from the audition room finally quieted down as the production team quietly conversed among themselves, before giving their feedback to Ann. The room fell silent for a moment, until Ann had opened up the door. Her expression showed signs of disappointment. It was as if all energy of her prior motivation had been sucked away from the comments provided by the producers.

"Ann..?" Ren asked, standing up from his seat as he tried to console with Ann. She completely ignored her boyfriend as she kept her head down, maintaining the saddened look on her face.

"… I wanna go home." Ann said with a monotonous tone. She continued her path down the hallway, making her way towards the exit. Ann was so distraught from her own thoughts that she'd forgotten her purse on her seat. Luckily, Ren remembered it and made sure to pick it up for her.

 _Lady Ann… she must have not have liked what the producers told her.. which means.._ Morgana lowered his head, sympathizing with Ann. Judging by her over-the-top acting they heard from her, followed by an unreceptive response by the production team, it was clear that Ann hadn't impressed them to be offered the role for the Pink Argus part.

As Ren picked up both his and Ann's bag, the door to the audition room opened up. Out came two gentlemen, one in the same business suit from earlier, while the other man appeared in casual clothing and a baseball cap, most likely the director of the Featherman project. The men were accompanied by a younger women. Both Ren and Morgana eavesdropped on their conversation as the group passed by.

"My.. that girl was  _way_ too fiesty to be Pink Argus. I'm glad we managed to find Mika-chan beforehand. I feel that she is the ideal model in our vision, don't you think so, director?" the man in the business suit spoke.

"Indeed.. such a shame that the blonde girl didn't fit well.. She definitely had the looks for an actress.. but her personality just didn't connect with what I wanted." the director replied. He turned over to the woman walking beside them. "Do you have any further input, Ms. Takeba?"

"… I liked her, actually." The younger woman spoke. Ren and Morgana noted her appearance realizing how beautiful she looked. The woman had neck-length light brown hair and brown eyes. Her casual attire composed of a pink top with a white lace design, a light navy collar short jacket, light beige short shorts and brown high heel boots. The woman had her arms crossed, deep in thought as she pondered over Ann's performance. "Although.. she may not be Pink Argus material, I'm sure she'd be better suited in another role. If only we had a chance to tell her that before she excused herself too early.."

"Ohh, that's the usual Yukari Takeba we know! Always looking to the brighter side of one's flaws! Hahahah!" the director laughed. He turned back over to the gentleman in the business suit. "Have all the accommodations been made for our trip to Kyoto? I want to ensure we'll be arriving there first thing in the morning so we may secure the scouting locations – specifically the high school I'd like to see where we'll be filming at."

"Yes sir! I've already made the calls to Horikawa Senior High. They'll be ensuring that the students will be dismissed early so we'll have the rest of the afternoon to scout the area." the businessman answered. "Anyways, why don't you both take a couple minutes for break before we go through the remainder of the actors who came to audition?"

"Sounds good. Ohh shoot! I forgot my belongings! Uh.. I'll just catch up with guys!" Yukari panicked as she left the director and producer for the mean time, making her way back to the audition room. She happened to pass alongside Ren staring back at her. Yukari gave a gleeful wave to him. "Hi there! Are you also planning on auditioning later on?"

"Ohh… uh.. nope. I was just here to support a friend.." Ren answered, surprised that the  _actual_  Pink Argus actor took the time to acknowledge him. Yukari gave him a gentle smile as she made her way towards the audition room.

"Awwh! That's  _so_ nice of you! I'm sure they appreciated you coming with them." Yukari commented, opening the door to the room to collect her belongings. "Well, I hope you have a good day!"

"Huh.. so that's the actual Pink Argus actor? I'd thought actresses tended to be snobby, but she seems really kind." Morgana commented as Ren made his way to the exit of the television studio to catch up with Ann. He tapped his paw on Ren's side in order to get his attention. "You definitely heard what she said, right?"

"Yep.. you know what I'm thinking?" Ren asked. Morgana quickly nodded. The two immediately set their sights to head back home where the production team would be in the next couple days. Without even speaking a word of what they were thinking, both Ren and Morgana understood what they had to do: Convince the team to give Ann one more chance.

Times like this showcased how they both thought on the same wavelength and had a strong bond with each other. And with that bond they shared, they had the same ideal goal on ensuring the happiness for the one girl they both had a passionate love for.

It was time for  _Operation Pink Argus_  to commence!

.

..

…

_**To be continued!**_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope y'all noticed the nod to a certain Persona 3 character.. Does this hint at more characters to come? You'll find out ;)
> 
> ~ Azurixx
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	7. Operation Pink Argus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren and Morgana work together to reach out to Yukari Takeba. Another opportunity arises for Ann's acting career."

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 7: OPERATION PINK ARGUS**

* * *

**_\- JUNE -_ **   
**_Kyoto, Japan_ **   
**_Horikawa Senior High School_ **   
**_Lunchtime_ **

* * *

Within the depths of downtown Kyoto was Horikawa Senior High School - a general academia with main focuses on culture and sciences. The shape of the main building was composed of a large, box-like structure, with symmetrical windows aligning parts of it like a stack of cubes. Within the centre of the building peeked a towering glass section that allowed a glimpse of the winding staircases leading to each floor within. The campus itself was surrounded by many greenery and cherry blossom trees, giving the modern environment a spark of nature.

Amidst the inside of Horikawa, many of the students wandered around as lunchtime began. The hallways flooded with navy blue uniforms as everyone proceeded to different parts of the school, whether it was in the cafeteria to eat lunch, the music room to practice for choir and band, or the laboratories to catch up on assignments and reports. During this particular time, Ren was within the main glass tower, overlooking down from the balcony of the stairway as he gazed upon the students walking around.

"Alright! Time to begin our mission!" Morgana spoke from inside Ren's bag, which he carefully placed on top of the ledge of the stairway balcony. As they discussed last night after they returned from their trip to Tokyo, Ren and Morgana agreed to find out where the production team for the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory movie would be located within the school and to convince Yukari Takeba to reconsider Ann's denial of the role for Pink Argus.

"I'll begin looking around and ask if any of the students have an idea on where the production team will be. If I haven't figured out anything by the time lunch ends, I'll leave the rest to you during class time." Ren repeated their plan with Morgana. All they knew was that the production team would be heading over to Horikawa High School to scout the area as a possible filming location for the television movie. For the next hour, Ren would be going around to investigate, but if he couldn't come up with any leads, then he'd allow Morgana to wander around during class time to find the production team while there would be no one in the hallways.

"Affirmative! For the sake of Lady Ann's acting career!" Morgana exclaimed. The adrenaline he was feeling reminded him of their time in Tokyo as Phantom Thieves. It brought back memories when the team would gather at their hideout to discuss their plans to infiltrate the target's Palace and steal their desires. But since Mementos had fallen, the team of two had to improvise and rely on their own abilities to convince a change of heart to the producers.

The duo didn't have time to discuss their intentions with Ann back in Tokyo, as they had to take the earliest train back to Kyoto before it was late to avoid any suspicion from Ren's parents. When Ann walked them to their station, she had thanked them for their support and apologized for wasting their time. Ren did everything he could to cheer her mood up, but Ann remained melancholic. The usual joy she had was overshadowed by the disappointment from the response of the production team. Ren recounted Ann's words to him when they had been waiting for the train in Tokyo..

_"They said my emotions weren't focused.. That I had too much anger and trouble in my delivery.. They said I could never represent the character of a hero with my current attitude.. What if that's actually who I am, Ren? If my heart isn't strong enough to be an inspiration to others, then what good am I to being a model too?"_

Ren recalled that Ann was being too hard on herself and should not have let the words of a few adults tear down her spirit. He had to remind Ann that she  _is_ an inspiration and that she  _did_ have a strong heart.. And that there were many other ways to inspire others.

 _I firmly believe in your abilities Ann.. Those producers may not see it yet, but once I change their hearts, they'll be able to see from a different perspective and realize the potential in your motivation.._ Ren thought to himself. All he needed was a couple minutes with Yukari Takeba. She was the key link in convincing the producers to give Ann one more shot, as Yukari had commented on seeing the potential of his girlfriend's acting abilities.

"Hey Ren.. I just realized this now.. but what if that Pink Argus girl isn't here? I doubt that many actors would accompany the production team on scouting locations for filming." Morgana brought up. Although, Morgana had a good point - this was their  _only_  chance to connect with the filming crew. Ren would take up any opportunity regardless of the slim chances of it working. And he could tell that Yukari Takeba already had a strong work ethic as she accompanied the producers in the auditioning process.

Ren continued walking around Horikawa High School, asking his fellow classmates and teachers if they knew any details of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman crew coming over to the school within the week, but all he received were unsure responses. With no leads to follow, Ren eventually had to give up as lunchtime ended. Required to return to class, Ren gave the responsibility to Morgana to search around for any more clues.

"I won't let Lady Ann down! I'll make sure to hunt down that film crew and give 'em a taste of my mind for denying the role she rightfully deserves!" Morgana announced with motivation. Ren had to remind Morgana that the film crew would be unable to understand him as they did not have the proper cognition of the cat's ability to talk. Morgana responded. "Ehh.. you know what I mean. Now get to class! You don't have the luxury of Ms. Kawakami letting you skip anymore, remember?"

As Ren joined his classmates, Morgana began walking around the empty hallways of Horikawa Senior High School. With everyone busy in the classrooms, he had no fear in getting caught. He was familiar in being elusive when needed, and with his small size and mobility, Morgana could easily escape if he was spotted. His determination to help Ann was as strong as Ren's. For now, she had lost the joy she once had in pursuing a goal. Ren and Morgana had to remind her of that joy she provided for others.

 _With the Spirit Amulet, I understand fully what_ _**joy** _ _is in human relationships. But when one seems to lose that feeling, it's our job as the significant other to do whatever it takes to cheer them up. To_ _**serve** _ _for them at whatever cost. To bring back what has been lost for them. This will all be for you, Lady Ann!_

* * *

_**Days later..** _

* * *

Days began to pass by within Horikawa High School. Eventually, the end of the week came as classes finished on Saturday, opening up the weekend for the students to take a break the following Sunday. Throughout the week, Ren and Morgana continued their search for the film crew, but they gradually began to lose hope as the team was no where in sight. What had happened to them? On the day they accompanied Ann to her audition, they producer and director had been discussing their plans to come to Kyoto within the next days, but nothing came to fruition on their end. Did they end up switching locations at the last minute? Did production end up getting delayed?

 _This isn't right… we've been searching and waiting all week, but there's no sign of this stupid film team._ Morgana thought to himself, resting atop the sign outside the front of Horikawa High School. The end of the day fast approached as all Morgana could do was await Ren to exit his classes and inform him of his failed attempt to locating the film team.

As the buzzer of the school emitted to signify the end of the day, Morgana watched as the entrance began to flood out with the Horikawa students excited for their weekend. Ren eventually came out, talking to a couple of his classmates before noticing Morgana resting atop the sign. He walked over to him. "So.. any leads?"

"None.. sorry.. It's like they just bailed out of their plan.. I don't know what to do now, Ren." Morgana explained in defeat.

Ren lowered his head, unsure of what to do next. Maybe this wasn't meant to be for Ann after all. During the last couple nights, Ren wasn't able to video chat with Ann as she resorted to only texting him instead. Her excuse was that she hadn't been feeling in the mood lately. Ren could only surmise that she was sulking by herself at night, possibly indulging in her sweets whenever she was feeling down. Ren had asked Ryuji and Futaba on how Ann was doing, but all they could provide was that she had been out of focus the last couple times they'd talk to her.

At the very moment, Ren hated the feeling of being helpless to Ann. He couldn't console her directly since they were cities apart. Ren had hoped that this opportunity to change the hearts of the film team would help in Ann's gloomy mood. But with this plan seemingly going nowhere - Ren began to lose hope.

_Ann.. I let you down.. I'm sorry.._

"..Hmm.. so this must be Horikawa High School." a voice spoke out. Recognizing the woman's voice, Ren turned around and noted the familiar actress walking through the crowd of students. The brown hair, the pink attire – it was definitely Yukari Takeba! The actress looked over to the director of the film crew standing beside her. "Sorry for the delays.. I did my best to change her mind, but it seemed like she had decided already.. I know she decided to drop out, but I'm sure we'll be able to find someone else to fill the role."

"I understand.. but we have such a short deadline now due to her unwillingness to cooperate. It'd be a miracle if we could find someone to be the villain." the director responded. The production crew began heading towards the entrance of Horikawa High School. "Nevertheless, we'll still need to finalize this place as our filming location. We've only got a two days to scout this place, then immediately head back to begin pre-production and provide our final plans to the studio."

"Whoah! It's a miracle!" Morgana exclaimed. He looked over to Ren, both nodding to each other. As Ren began to head towards the production team, a teacher had come outside and began shouting out to the students.

"Alright everyone! Please hurry and exit the campus. We have a special team overlooking the premises, and they require that everyone is out of the way." the teacher announced to the students as they passed by. They noticed Ren going the opposite way of everyone else. The teacher quickly called out to him. "Sorry, Amamiya-san, but we can't let anyone else roaming around the school. It would distract the production team and they requested to be uninterrupted."

Ren groaned as he walked back to the school gates. It was the one time he could finally speak with the production crew and the teacher just  _had_  to get in his way. This was an opportunity they couldn't miss as they would have a small timeframe before the team would leave, yet Ren was unable to gain access to them. As he exited the school fences, he looked over to the sign, nodding over to Morgana as the cat nodded back to him.

 _No worries! This is why I'm here to get the job done!_ Morgana quickly leapt from the high school's sign and scurried his way through the crowd of students, sneaking into the school's entrance as the teacher's closed them. Morgana trotted through the hallways of the now empty school as he followed the production team towards the gymnasium. Peeking into the doorway, Morgana eavesdropped as the production team conversed in the centre of the gym's basketball court.

"I'm really feeling the atmosphere here. I like the open space this school offers."

"Yeah.. and the garden outside gives much more life to building. I think this will be the perfect place to film"

Morgana noted that Yukari Takeba had her back turned to the doorway, distancing herself away from the production team as they continually discussed the environment of the school. Before entering, Morgana looked around and found an open classroom across the hallway. He quickly went inside, taking out a piece of paper the size of a card, along with a pen from the teacher's desk and began writing on it. Taking the paper within his mouth, Morgana rushed back to the gymnasium.

_Alright.. Time to let out my sweet moves.._

In order to grab Yukari's attention, Morgana began to meow into the gymnasium. The production team ignored his call, but he managed to get the attention of Yukari, who turned around and saw Morgana awaiting at the gym entrance.

"Hmph? A cat?" Yukari began making her way towards Morgana as he continued meowing. Morgana began to purr and gently rubbed his body against Yukari's legs in an affectionate manner. Yukari couldn't help but to crouch down and playfully pet Morgana's head. "Awwh.. you're such a sweet little thing! I could dunk you in my coffee!"

_Mweheheh.. it's no surprise my natural charm is working. Now its time to go in for the finishing move.._

After allowing Yukari to pet him for a bit, Morgana turned back to the entrance of the doorway and slid the piece of paper towards her. Surprised, Yukari knelt down to pick up the paper and read the contents of what was written. "Huh… this address.. and a time.. Are you asking me out on a date, little kitty?"

_Nooooo! My charm is working too well! Read the lower part of the card!_

Yukari Takeba had just noticed the written portion below the address and date. She began to read it out loud:

_Ms. Yukari Takeba, the well-renown Pink Argus and leader of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory,_

_You've touched the hearts of many for your heroic acts displayed on television,  
But now your production crew has made the grave mistake of turning down one of our very own,_

_Meet me at the given time and location, for we shall negotiate the matter of the missing role you yearn to now fill,_  
And how our desires may align with yours.  
From, the one and only - Joker

Morgana stared back at Yukari who could only give him a confused look, unsure of what to take from the calling card given to her. Her production crew suddenly called her over and requested for her input about the school. Pocketing the calling card with her, Yukari headed back to her team, giving a final comment to Morgana.

"Huh.. You're a weird kitty.."

With all that he could do, Morgana left the gymnasium and exited Horikawa Senior High, making his way back to Ren's home to prepare for their plans later tonight.

_All we can do now is wait.._

* * *

__**\- JUNE -  
** **Kyoto, Japan  
** **Okumaru Cafe  
** **Evening**

* * *

It was a quiet night within the coffee shop. A couple residents relaxed inside as they drank their specially made coffee, while some conversed with a friend they'd brought along or take time to read in the peaceful shop. At the moment, Ren was behind the counter of the coffee shop, accounting all the items and tending to whomever came and ordered their drinks. During his off-time, Ren had offered a hand with the new staff of the shop, ensuring that they were capable of following the orders given by Haru and guiding them on making the variety of drinks they'd offer.

 _It's already half an hour past the meeting time.. where is Yukari?_ Morgana thought to himself as he laid atop one of the stools placed alongside the tables against the walls. After giving the calling card to Yukari at school, all they could do was wait for her to come to the coffee shop in hopes that they could discuss the matter of the Ann's audition and the missing role the production team needed to fill. Morgana had began to lose hope as the coffee shop would be closing in thirty minutes.

Just then, the bell to the coffee shop rang as a customer entered the premises. Morgana looked over and an overwhelming sense of relief filled over him as Yukari walked inside, gazing around the shop in curiosity. He began to meow over to Ren, who peeked his head over the counter. Noticing Yukari, Ren walked out from behind the counter and introduced himself.

"Hmm.. so you must've been the one who sent the cat to give me the calling card.. Joker, right?" Yukari acknowledged, shaking Ren's hand as he gave her a confused look at the sudden name drop. She looked over to Morgana, who jumped from his stool and began to purr around her, cuddling against her leg likewise at the school's gymnasium. Yukari once again couldn't help but gush over his cuteness. "Awwwh! You're too adorable! You must have really trained him well considering all the trouble you did to convince me to come here."

"He's a… special type of cat, that's for sure." Ren commented, motioning Morgana to wait at the side so he and Yukari could talk. Morgana groaned as he walked back to his stool.

_Hmph! I did all the hard work and still did not get a thank-you.. This is a prime example of being taken for granted.._

Morgana rested comfortably atop the stool and watched as Ren began talking business with Yukari over the calling card she received, as well as her production team dealing with their vacant role.

"Hey.. I thought I recognized you somewhere.. you're the boy I saw earlier this week at the auditions in Tokyo! My, don't you get around easily, huh?" Yukari exclaimed as they both sat down among one of the tables. She crossed both of her arms and rested them atop the table, leaning forward towards Ren in curiosity. "You know.. I considered not coming here at all, thinking the whole calling card was another way for some crazed fan to grab my attention.. But I sensed something different in this case.. Especially when it mentioned the problem of our production team losing a valuable role for our television movie - which only a few people know about.. How'd you come across those details?"

"I have my resources." Ren said. He leaned back in his chair, crossing both his arms and legs in a manner that showed he was serious about their conversation. Although his demeanour was a bit undermined due to the apron he required to wear while at work. "I called you over here to talk about someone close to me who had tried out for one of your movie roles. Does Ann Takamaki sound familiar?"

"Oh yeah! That outgoing blonde girl. She had quite the energy going on that day!" Yukari recalled Ann's outrageous performance, as well as the outburst she had caused outside of the hallway prior to her audition. She raised an eyebrow towards Ren. "Huh, why are you so invested in her performance? Is it that because you are… her manager!?"

 _Dammit… how oblivious can she be?_ Morgana thought, shaking his head in disbelief to what Yukari had just suggested.

"Uhmm.. no. Not even close." Ren answered, stunned by Yukari-san's guess. It'd been the first time he was ever called someone's manager, so naturally it caught him off-guard. He shifted the focus back to the topic at hand. "I'm.. her boyfriend. And I was hoping to talk to you about giving Takamaki-san another chance in her audition."

"Awwhh.. how adorable! You're looking out for your girlfriend! That's  _so_ sweet of you!" Yukari had the urge to pinch Ren's cheeks from how cute she thought his chivalrous act for Takamaki-san was. She then lowered her gaze as she shook her head. "Look, I understand where you're leading to.. But unfortunately, I cannot overrule the production team's decision. We've already decided to cast Mika-chan into the role for Pink Argus. As much as I appreciate your Takamaki-san's enthusiasm.. she just didn't fit for the role.. I'm really sorry."

Morgana continued watching from a distance as the conversation between Ren and Yukari progressed.  _How is he going to convince her to accept Ann into their movie? I'm sure he has a wild card up his sleeve, but I don't even know what Ren's got planned.._

Just then, Ren pulled out a rolled up fashion magazine from his pocket and laid it across the table for Yukari to see. On the front cover was a picture of Ann posing proudly. It had been a gift she gave Ren on his last day in Tokyo before he left for his hometown. Ren began to explain his reasoning to Yukari to give Ann another chance. "If I am correct, you've done modelling in the past – similar to Takamaki-san. Therefore, I believe you both share the same ideals that are emphasized through the character of Pink Argus on your show."

Yukari listened intently to Ren's reasoning, noting the passion he had in ensuring Ann's chances to receiving a role. Interested in hearing more, Yukari requested further details. "You have me hooked so far.. Keep going."

"Last year, Ann invited me over to one of her photoshoots in Tokyo. She explained to me her desire in not only becoming the best model in the world, but to continue growing as a person. To become an example of confidence that others may be inspired by. To become a ray of light for everyone in this world.. I believe those are true qualities of a hero." Ren explained with great sincerity. "She may not be the best actor thus far, but her heart is in the right place. Her desire to continually strengthen her heart is something I  _know_  she can offer to your current casting call. She even disclosed her desire to become an action star to me, not for her own gain, but to set up a good example to those who may doubt themselves."

Morgana was awestruck by Ren's zeal in talking about Ann. He talked about his girlfriend with a firm belief of her abilities and went through great lengths to simply get the message across. Morgana was unable to recall any other relationship he knew of that provided an example of a person going through so much trouble for their special one.

_The **service**  he is pulling through so much for Ann.. Is that what people in strong relationships do?_

Yukari continued listening to Ren talk about Ann. She couldn't help but let a smile grow across her face. After Ren provided his reasons, Yukari sat back and sighed, impressed by his devotion to Takamaki-san. "You know.. you remind me of someone I met during my high school days. And Takamaki-san sounds like how I was beforehand too. I devoted myself  _so_  much to that one person. He was one of the few I could ever really be open to.. just like how Takamaki-san seems to be with you. I can tell that you have a similar relationship with Takamaki-san like I did with him.."

Both Ren and Morgana noticed Yukari lowering her head, as if attempting to keep her composure together. It seemed that mentioning of her old "friend" had brought back a terrible memory – one resulting of loss and heartbreak. But she decided not to disclose those details to them. Yukari took a moment to breathe, then began to chuckle.

"Heheh… sorry.. I got caught up there for a minute." Yukari explained, quickly reverting her tone back to one of cheerfulness. She leaned forward and picked up the magazine of Ann, flipping through the pages until she found the section of her interview. Yukari took a moment to read it over, with one part Ann's interview standing out to her. She read it aloud:

" _What I love most about modelling is being able to inspire others through the confidence with not only our appearance, but our hearts. It reminds me of an anime villain I watched before – she was cool, brave, sexy even, but above all else, she had a strong heart. No matter what difficulties she faced, she would continue fighting back. I believe that's a good message to show others: when the going gets tough, remind yourself to be strong. Not only for yourself – but for the people around you as well."_

As Yukari read over the interview, Ren reminded himself of why he had chosen Ann in the first place. This was the true character he believed Ann represented. He had to help her remember her ideology of strengthening her heart through tough battles. Ann wasn't the type to immediately sulk over a loss like she was doing now – she had momentarily forgotten of the character she aspired to become.

At that moment, Ren realized that he wasn't only doing this to help Ann receive her acting role – but to remind her of the person she promised herself to become: someone with a strong heart to inspire others!

"I see.. anime villain, huh?" Yukari pondered once more over Ann's interview. She closed the fashion magazine and laid it back onto the table, taking a moment to think over a couple ideas. Yukari smiled as she realized a compromise. "Hmm… well, I can't make any promises, but I believe I've found a solution that can benefit both parties."

Morgana watched as Ren and Yukari shook hands once more as they came to an agreement. Soon afterwards, the both of them stood up as Ren walked Yukari over to the exit of the coffee shop as they began to close. Looking over to Ren as he walked over to the counter to clean up, he noted the satisfied smile on his face. For the mean time, Morgana was unsure of the result, but could tell that it was a good one simply by Ren's expression.

_Wow… he fought hard for Ann.. This guy definitely has the boldness to do anything for her.._

* * *

_**\- JUNE -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Shujin Academy** _   
_**After School** _

* * *

The bells of Shujin Academy rang as the students began to make their way out of the building as classes ended. At the moment, Ann was accompanied by both Ryuji and Futaba as they headed for the school's exit. Still feeling downcast from her audition last week, Ann had been unable to focus in her classes. She had hoped that this acting role would help expand her influence to inspiring others.

But to receive rejection for simply being herself – especially due to her rival Mika-chan stealing the role from her, Ann began to have doubts on her future.

 _I can't become stagnant.. but if I'm unable to land this role, what more can I do with my modelling career? I did all I could.. but all I'm seeing is failure on the road I walk upon._ Ann thought to herself. This was unlike her to be so pessimistic. But the words that had come from both the producer and director of the show still lingered in her mind.

" _I'm sorry, but you just aren't quite cut out for the role.. I don't see you being the hero type."_

" _Yeah.. I have to agree. You're too ferocious.. If only you were more like that Mika-chan lady earlier. She definitely showcased the heart of the character. You just aren't strong enough for this role."_

"Man.. she's really been out of it for the last week." Futaba commented to Ryuji. The two walked alongside Ann, staring at her as she kept her gaze towards the ground with a melancholic look on her face. Futaba went through her own bag and took out a chocolate Pocky stick and began waving it in front of Ann's nose – yet received no response whatsoever. Futaba gasped. "Oh no.. Even sweets aren't working! Ann truly is broken!"

"Dammit.. I've been doing everything I can to cheer her up, but nothing's working!" Ryuji breathed out in frustration. He scratched the back of his head, wondering how Ren had been doing to try and cheer up Ann. Ryuji wished that his friend was physically here to directly console with her. That was simply the trouble of long-distance relationships. Text messages and video chats could only go so far in sharing each other's affections and comfort. Ryuji furthered pushed Ann in an attempt to make her feel better. "Come on, Takamaki-san.. you're stronger than this. Ren wouldn't want you to be acting like this anymore! Cheer up!"

"Ryuji! You need to be kinder than that! You can't just tell a girl how they should feel. They need to be  _acknowledged_  on how they are feeling and to be listened to!" Futaba argued, taking a bite from her Pocky stick in her hands. She proceeded to scoff at him even more. "Geez, no wonder you don't have a girlfriend yet.. You're hopeless!"

"Back off, Futaba! It's hard enough that Ann is feeling down. Now you gotta take a jab at me?!" Ryuji fired back as he clenched his fists in annoyance. His frustration quickly subsided as he watched Futaba pull out another Pocky stick from her bag and began munching on it. "Hey uhm.. do you happen to have any more of those Pocky sticks?"

As the trio exited Shujin Academy and passed the front gates, a voice called over to them. Facing towards the source, their jaws almost dropped to the floor as they saw Yukari Takeba leaning by the walls of the school gates. She waved over to them to come.

"HUUUUUUUUH!? NO WAY! Pink Argus!? In the living flesh…! I-I can't believe it!?" Futaba squealed, dropping her box of Pocky and rushing over to Yukari.

"No 'effin way.. she's even hotter in person!" Ryuji froze in his spot, drooling over Yukari Takeba. He noticed that Futaba had embraced the actress in a bear hug as she continued yelping in excitement. Ryuji panicked at the sight. "What the hell! Futaba! You can't just go around hugging super beautiful models like that! I mean.. at least leave some room for us guys to have a chance.. if you know what I mean..."

Yukari didn't mind the affection from Futaba as she was already used to the attention she received from other fans of both her modelling and acting career. She realized that attention from other Shujin students began to gravitate towards her. Yukari gently began to pull Futaba away. "Alright, as much as I adore hugs, I'm actually here to talk to Takamaki-san alone.. if she doesn't mind."

"What- me? For real?" Ann shot up from her despondent gaze, surprised to hear Yukari mention her name so casually.

"Damn… lucky.. you get to spend alone time with Takeba-san? I'm jealous.." Ryuji mumbled, crossing his arms in yet another disappointment. He began to walk away, but not before ensuring that he grabbed Futaba with him. Ryuji began dragging the poor girl by the neck of her uniform as she helplessly reached out to Yukari.

"Noooooo! You monster! You can't take me away from my beloved Pink Argus!" Futaba cried out as she struggled against Ryuji's grasp. The two soon disappeared off into the distance, leaving Ann and Yukari together at Shujin Academy's entrance.

"So! How's your appetite? I'm craving a bit of a buffet myself." Yukari asked. Receiving a nod from Ann, she suddenly grabbed the unsuspecting girl's arm and wrapped hers around it, much to the other's surprise. "Come on! You and me have a  _lot_ to talk about."

* * *

_**\- JUNE -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Wilton Hotel** _   
_**Afternoon** _

* * *

Near the centre of downtown Shibuya was the luxurious Wilton Hotel where many of the upperclassmen resided. Among the floors was their famous buffet which offered a variety of foods and dishes ranging between desserts, meats, rice, and fish. As it was early Monday afternoon before the dinner rush, most of the tables were unoccupied which allowed Ann and Yukari to talk without much interruption in the background.

"Oooh! I see you are a big fan of the dessert menu! I love your taste!" Yukari complimented, gazing over to Ann's side of the table which consisted of a plate with variety of cheesecake slices with one flavour being cookies n' cream while the other was red velvet. Both girls sat themselves near the corner of the buffet area so they could converse in private. "You're a model too, right Ann? Heheh, being in the modelling business can be tough, but it's no crime to treat yourself every once in a while!"

"Y-Yeah.. I agree! I admit, it's so hard to control my own sweet tooth sometimes.. Usually I'd have someone else help me cut down on the treats.." Ann commented. She looked down to the appetizing dessert on her plate, yet couldn't muster up the strength to eat it. Looking at the red velvet cheesecake reminded her of the romantic night Ren prepared for them back at Haru's coffee shop. She deeply missed that moment and yearned for more similar ones with Ren, but it was too difficult due to the great distance between them. That thought, along with her casting rejection still residing in her mind, immediately lowered Ann's spirits as she sighed.

_Gosh.. Why am I so negative right now? I have my favourite treat right in front of me and I can't even enjoy it.._

"..Thinking about him, huh?" Yukari spoke up, catching Ann by surprise as she watched the younger girl's face turn red. The older woman chuckled. "Don't think you can hide it from me, girl! This sort of young, pure love is hard to come across nowadays. People are just so interested in finding immediate satisfaction that they forget investment is important towards building meaningful relationships."

"Huh? W-What are you talking about?" Ann asked, perplexed by Yukari's words. Was she talking about Ren? Ann began to demand an answer from the actress. "A-And what gives with you randomly pulling me out here after school? Not to be offensive or anything, it's actually really cool that I am spending time with the one and only Pink Argus, but you haven't mentioned anything since we've gotten here, Takeba-san!"

"I wanted to get to know you better." Yukari explained, taking a bite out of one of her meat dishes. "Don't hold back, Takamaki-san! I'm interested in hearing your entire story!"

"Ohh.. uhm, okay." Ann began to fiddle around with her fork and began poking at her cheesecake, wondering where to begin her story. Although, she was still attempting to figure out what Yukari had in mind. "I'm not sure where to start, Takeba-san.. What do you want to know about me?"

"Hmm.. oh, I know! Start with your relationship with Ren Amamiya!" Yukari asked, causing Ann to almost drop her fork at the mention of her boyfriend's name. "Heheh.. maybe I should have told you that he influenced my decision to come talk to you and possibly give you another chance at our movie. You caught yourself a really dedicated boyfriend, Takamaki-san. He's one persistant man, I can tell you!"

"Wait.. Ren? B-But how? Why?!" Ann was flustered. How did Ren manage to set this up? Yukari chuckled and began explaining the entire ordeal on how Ren waited the entire week at Horikawa Senior High to get a chance to talk to Yukari and vouch for Ann's acting potential. Ann took a moment to process the information.

 _Ren Amamiya... He really went through great lengths just to give me one more chance.._ Ann thought. At the revelation of the news from Yukari, the sudden doubt that took over her mind subsided, replaced with newfound strength within herself. The firm belief from her boyfriend and the support he still provided, even when they were miles apart, caused Ann's heart to overwhelm with gratitude for Ren's persistence.

"Well.. I guess it all started one rainy day last year.." Ann began her story on how she met Ren. "I took refuge underneath this boutique shop when I felt a sudden presence close to me. I turned to my side and saw this shaggy-haired stranger staring at me with this weird, yet cute look on his face..."

Ann and Yukari continued talking throughout the afternoon, mostly with Ann sharing her story last year about the events that transpired at Shujin Academy, relating it to the incident with Kamoshida, how she gained the strength to stand up against his abuse and the bonds she created with both Ren, Shiho and the rest of her friends. She also included her reasons to become a model and how it all connected to strengthening her heart. Ann obviously left out the parts regarding the Phantom Thieves that were tied to a majority of the events she discussed. Yukari had been engrossed throughout the entire story Ann told.

"Interesting.. Ya know, I wish you had the time to say all that during your actual audition. I mean, I'll be honest, I thought you were a little hot-headed the first time I'd seen you act, but there was an underlying passion I could sense from you. Hearing your story definitely helped carve that picture." Yukari commented. "Takamaki-san.. forget about what the producers said about you not being able to play the part of hero. Through all the trials you've gone through, I can say that those are definite qualities that someone with a strong heart is only capable of."

"Th-thank you! Honestly, hearing that from you means a lot, Takeba-san!" Ann replied earnestly, bowing her head down towards her. "Uhm.. not to be so eager or anything, but you did mention to me about giving me another chance at the Pink Argus role?"

"Well.. yes and no.. You see, I still believe that Mika-chan earned the role herself. For  _you_  however, I have something else in mind.." Yukari took out her phone and scrolled through her photo gallery. She presented a picture of some rough drafts and concept art for a character made for the Phoenix Ranger Featherman movie. The character was a girl dressed in a skin-tight red latex catsuit, with dark red thigh-high boots and a mask resembling a cat's face with a whip as their primary weapon. Ann's eyes widened, recognizing the familiar outfit.

_No way.. isn't that my Panther outfit from the Metaverse?_

"Looks familiar, huh? I got inspiration for this character by those Phantom Thieves a while back. I'm sure you're familiar with those guys seeing as you live right in the city where they worked in, right?" Yukari explained. Ann was surprised that Yukari had known about the exploits of the Phantom Thieves from last year. She could only nod in agreement to prevent herself from revealing her identity. Yukari smiled. "Yeah.. I remember seeing the broadcast around last Christmas when they proclaimed to steal the heart of that super influential politician. Masayoshi Shido, I believe?"

"I see.. why'd you choose that specific girl though?" Ann asked.

"I don't know exactly. Initially, I just loved the design of that girl in the catsuit. The way she was posing, the fearsome, yet sassy tone in her voice. I thought someone like her would make a great character as a villain!" Yukari further explained. "But I also sensed some sort of determination from just the way she appeared in the broadcast. It was like.. regardless of the entire city talking against her team, she still stood up for what she believed in. I feel like someone with only a strong heart and true passion in their beliefs could act like that.. And I sense a lot of that from you, Takamaki-san."

Ann couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yukari Takeba, the well-renown Pink Argus actor, was giving such amazing compliments simply based on Ann's character. It was the way Ann  _acted_ naturally, with no need to be over-the-top and extra in her expression. Ann realized that all the doubts that she had been feeling the past week were minor gripes that she allowed to expand in her mind. The people around Ann expressed their belief in her abilities.

Especially Ren Amamiya - the one who provided such grand  **service**  to simply show Ann that she was always the strong-hearted girl he believed in.

"So.. what do you say, Takamaki-san?" Yukari asked, raising a hand in front of her for Ann to shake. "Will you be our strong-hearted  _super-villain_  in the new Phoenix Ranger Featherman movie?"

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hooray! The girls of the Lovers arcana spend valuable time together! Hmm... If I remember correctly, Ann and Yukari not the only Lovers girl in Persona, right? *hint hint*
> 
> ShuAnn week is slowly approaching! Less than 3 more weeks to go before the internet is flooded with amazing fan-art and stories of the power couple! 
> 
> For those who are quietly reading, I still wanna say my appreciation for your constant support throughout this long fic. There is a LOT more to come with this plot! So stay tuned and have a blessed week!
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	8. Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana reawakens his Persona powers in a new realm. Ann shares good news with Ren - only to have an issue arise in their relationship at night."

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 8: PALACE**

* * *

 **\- JUNE -  
** **Kyoto, Japan  
** **Okumaru Cafe  
** **Evening**

* * *

"So let me get this straight.. they hired you to become a  _super-villain_  and fight against the Phoenix Ranger Featherman as your Phantom Thief persona?" Ren repeated, attempting to comprehend what his girlfriend just told him over their phone call.

" _I know! It's soo weird, right?"_  Ann's voiced emitted from Ren's phone. At the moment, Ren was studying at Haru's coffee shop when Ann urgently called to tell him about the news. Morgana sat on the opposite seat from Ren, listening intently to their conversation as usual. Ann had just finished her meeting with Yukari after school and continued explaining what had happened. " _So Takeba-san showed me this art about a super-villain character she made up, and it was literally me in my Metaverse outfit! She even named the super-villain Panther!"_

"That's.. totally not what I expected." Ren commented. He never thought of Yukari bringing Ann's Panther identity to life on the television screen, let alone as the super-villain to fight against the Featherman. Ren began to joke. "Seems like you haven't really retired from the Phantom Thief life, huh?"

" _Does it really matter anymore? I get to be this super awesome, strong and sexy super-villain! In my opinion, that's even better than being Pink Argus!"_ Ann exclaimed. Ren smiled, happy to hear that Ann was back to her normal, enthusiastic self once more.  _"And what makes this even more cool is that I actually get to fight against Mika and show her how tough I am! I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes I'm in this movie too! She'll never see me coming, Ren!"_

"You did it Ann.. Yukari was able to see the strong, passionate heart you've been building into your character. You didn't have to  _act_ that way to get the part. It was by your natural ability that you were able to earn this. You should be proud of yourself." Ren reminded her. A moment of silence filled the other end of the phone call, before Ann spoke up.

" _Ren.. I couldn't have done this without you.. I had doubts on my mind after my audition last week. I totally overreacted and felt like I was hopeless.. But you did everything you could to bring this opportunity for me.. Even when you're far away, you're always looking out for me, Ren."_ Ann's voice suddenly began to break down as she began to sniffle from the other end.  _"I-I'm really sorry.."_

"Ann..?" Ren expressed concern from hearing Ann's voice break down. Morgana also heard Ann potentially cry and gave a worried look.

" _My.. my heart hasn't been strong enough lately.. I think.. I think I've been relying on you too much lately in my happiness.."_ Ann admitted. Ren took a moment to let her words sink in. What made her think that? All Ren ever wanted to do was make her happy, and for whatever reason, she was feeling guilty of her reliance on him.  _"..I feel guilty about having to put you through all this trouble.. just to give me another chance at this movie.."_

"It's okay.. I don't mind if you lean on me too much. I made a promise to myself that I would be looking out for you to the best of my abilities. That I would provide my  _service_  to you in anyway I can in order to help you fulfill your dreams." Ren explained. His reassuring words helped Ann calm down as he heard her wipe away a couple tears that had been welling up in her eyes. "Ann, I truly believe in your abilities.. I just wish that you would also believe that in yourself."

" _Thank you.. I'll do my best to continue strengthening my heart to be an inspiration. Not only are you depending on me, but now Yukari is.. I can't let her down knowing she sees me as the best candidate for this position. I'm gonna make sure I give it my all in this role, Ren!"_ Ann's determined voice emitted from the phone speaker. Ren nodded to himself and smiled, happy to see Ann's motivation alive once more.

Listening to their entire conversation, Morgana reflected on the past couple weeks regarding this journey for Ann to land a role with the Phoenix Ranger crew. All the struggles she had to endure weren't tackled by herself, for Ann had a reliable partner she could depend on – Ren Amamiya. Morgana noted that Ren would devote any amount of time for Ann and provide his  **service**  during her time of need. The great lengths which Ren went through in order to support the dreams and aspirations for his beloved was an example of what a true relationship exhibited – the reliance that one partner could have from the other. His time to listen to Ann's goal to pursue this acting role, the energy he put into commuting all the way to Tokyo for one day to support her audition, the perseverance he had to wait for the film crew at his high school and the time spent negotiating with Yukari on why Ann deserved another chance – all were an act of selfless service.

 _This has been a tough obstacle for both of them to overcome, but in the end, they managed to pull through this together.. And it was all because of Ren's service. He didn't expect anything in return, but simply did it out of his devotion to Lady Ann.._ Morgan pondered. He began grow a deeper understanding about Ren and Ann's relationship – and more importantly - human relationships.

Unbeknownst to him, another one of the stones embedded on the Spirit Amulet around Morgana's collar began to glow once more, signalling another attribute –  **Service** _ **–**_  being realized into an energy source for the artifact.

Just then, Morgana's ears perked up, believing to have heard a pair of voices coming from outside Haru's coffee shop. He turned over to Ren, who was busy talking to Ann on the phone. Deciding to investigate the sound by himself, Morgana rushed over to the coffee shop's doors and went outside.

"Hmph! There you are, feline! Took us long enough to find you!" the voice of a young girl suddenly called out to him on the streets.

Morgana turned around and noticed that two young girls, more specifically, twins, began walking up to him. Both young girls appeared with platinum blonde hair and yellow eyes. One twin had their hair tied in a long braid, and wore a velvet blue button-up shirt with a black tie, a matching black school skirt, white tights and black dress shoes. Their face expressed a sense of calmness. The other twin had hair buns and wore a velvet blue varsity jacket with white sleeves, black pants and matching sneakers. Opposite of her twin, this girl expressed pure dominance and a stern look.

"Uhm.. meow?!" Morgana spoke. He didn't expect the unfamiliar twins to understand him in his cat form, until one of them began talking to him in anger.

"Don't play us like we're dumb! We  _know_ you can talk in full sentences, feline!" Caroline yelled at him, causing Morgana to jump back in surprise. "Hmph! It's like you don't recognize us! We only just split from our original form into our twin shapes!"

"Wait.. you guys are supposed to be Lavenza?!" Morgana gave a confused looking, turning his head over between one twin to another, attempting to comprehend what was happening. "Uhh.. okay.. WHY?! Why are you in this form? And most importantly, why are you in the  _real_  world all of a sudden?"

"There's no time to explain.. But to make an extensive story concise.. it appears that we've found ourselves in grave danger ever since we've assigned you the mission with the  **Spirit Amulet**." Justine calmly explained, pointing over to the artifact around Morgana's collar. "You must come with us at once, for the bonds of both you and your friends are at risk."

"Wait, hold on-" Morgana start speaking, but suddenly a velvet blue door with an exquisite stained glass window appeared behind Caroline and Justine. It opened up as a bright light shone from within. Morgana was unable to see what was on the other side due to its brightness. Suddenly he felt a hand grab him from his collar as Caroline picked him up. "Hey! Take it easy! I'm fragile in this form, ya know!"

"Stop your complaining, feline! We must go immediately before the Shadows wreck havoc from their residence!" Caroline yelled. Before Morgana could ask any further questions, Caroline threw him into the doorway as she and Justine quickly followed behind. The door closed and disappeared into a shimmer of blue light ascending into the sky, leaving the streets of Kyoto quiet once more.

"Morgana?" Ren called out from inside the coffee shop. He realized that Morgana wasn't with him anymore and began looking around from his seat, but only noted the few customers lounging in the shop.

" _Did something happen?"_  Ann's voice asked from his phone. Ren explained that Morgana had left him all of a sudden. Ann reassured him.  _"Ohh.. I'm sure he'll be fine. He usually likes going on walks by himself, right?"_

"Yeah.. he probably took a moment to stretch his legs. I  _have_  been studying at the coffee shop for quite some time already." Ren explained. Ann praised her boyfriend's commitment to studying, but suggested that he should take a break. Following his girlfriend's suggestion, Ren left his study material at his table momentarily to get another coffee refill at the counter. Ren's mind began to wander for a bit as he began to think about Morgana.

_Morgana… He's been acting different lately… I wonder what he's been up to.._

* * *

**= The Spirit Palace =**

* * *

"GYAAHAH!" Morgana screamed as he landed face first on his head onto a cobblestone pathway. He quickly got up and began dusting himself, realizing that he was transformed back into his Metaverse form. Confused, he looked around him, finding that he wasn't in Kyoto anymore. "What the.. What the  _hell_  is this place?!"

Standing in front of Morgana was an enormous white and grey palace structure, with various towers reaching into the cloudy night sky. Some of it's columns and pillars were in slight ruin, but the entire structure of the palace appeared intact. Various plant life and vines covered the palace from the outside. The palace itself stood on top of a floating isle. Water flowed across the borders of the Palace as it fell into the endless sky below. At the moment, Morgana stood in front of the entrance leading towards the stairway to the door.

_This is nothing from what I've seen before… Where the hell am I!_

Suddenly, Caroline and Justine followed from the doorway they had conjured up. Morgana turned around to find them changed from their casual attire to what appeared to be matching velvet blue warden outfits. Justine carried a clipboard with her whilst Caroline wielded an electric shock baton. Morgana raised a brow in confusion. "Huh.. why'd you guys suddenly change clothes?"

"We thought it was best to sport a less intimidating appearance in the real world." Justine explained.

"Yeah! Those humans back there wouldn't be able to comprehend our normal attire! They'd simply cower in fear at a simple glimpse of our true forms!" Caroline immediately waved around her baton, pointing up to the entrance of the Palace in front of them. "Now feline! Let's go up into the Palace and defeat the Shadow that awaits us inside!"

"Wait! You guys haven't told me  _anything_ yet!" Morgana complained. The twins completely ignored him as they ran up the stairways to enter the Palace entrance. Morgana and stomped his feet in frustration. "Gaaaah! This is so stupid!"

Morgana had no choice but to follow the twins into the mysterious floating Palace. As he entered the Palace, he noted the expansive rooms and hallways composing the structure. Gray carpeting covered parts of the marble floors, with moonlight glowing into the dim rooms through the various coloured stained glass windows. As Morgana followed the twins through the maze-like Palace, he felt the presence of a familiar enemy around him which caused his fur to stick up. The entire experience reminded him of traveling through Palaces in the Metaverse. With this thought in mind, Morgana slowly began to realize what was going on.

_Wait a minute.. I feel a familiar presence.. Is it true what they said? Are there actual Shadows in this place? Are we in someone's Palace? But that's not possible!_

"Over here!" Caroline shouted, pointing her baton up towards the end of the spiralling staircase they were climbing. The twins and Morgana eventually reached the door. Morgana noted that the air around the area was noticeably colder. He realized that the edges of the doorway were frozen, with parts of the floor around it covered in ice.

Suddenly, Caroline pointed her hand up in the air as she was surrounded by blue flames. Morgana watched as she mustered up her strength and called upon a familiar power.

_"PERSONAAA!"_

Appearing above Caroline was a Shadow, but under the alliance of the girl. This Shadow's form was of a crypt-dwelling pyromaniac - appearing with a pumpkin head wearing a witch's hat, a black cloak and held a lit lantern in its single hand.

"Go, Jack O' Lantern! Use  _Agidyne_!" Caroline commanded. Jack O'Lantern complied and summoned a powerful blast of fire at the frozen door, burning it away as the ice evaporated into steam. Caroline immediately rushed into the burned entrance.

"Follow us, for the enemy is within." Justine calmly requested Morgana as she followed her sister inside.

"D-Did she just summon a Persona?!" Morgana was still attempting to wrap his head around the entire situation. The presence of Shadows, Caroline suddenly summoning a Persona.. Were they back in the Metaverse? It wasn't possible though, as they had destroyed its existence last year after defeating Yaldabaoth. But it didn't matter right now. Morgana could sense a powerful force from within the room ahead. He quickly climbed over the broken door and joined the twins inside, finding himself in a large ballroom-like area within the Palace. The entire room was cold in temperature, with its entire floor covered in ice as snow somehow fell from the rooftop above.

Within the middle of the room was a lone figure. Morgana took a moment to stare at them and recognized it the familiar brown-haired girl. "Hold on.. that looks like.. Mika?"

 _"Welcome to my frozen domain, peasants!"_  Mika spoke as she raised her hands to her sides in a majestic tone. Morgana immediately noticed the shadow aura around Mika, as well as her glowing yellow eyes and evil grin.  _"All will bow down to my rule, for I will hinder those who dare get in my way of glory!"_

"Huh.. you may look like Mika-chan, but I can definitely tell you're a fake!" Morgana shouted at the girl, causing the figure to stomp in frustration at what she was called.

"Hmph! You have a good eye, feline! It'd make sense you could easily notice her Shadow aura, considering you are one yourself!" Caroline commented.

"Indeed, the Mika you see here is a fake." Justine began to explain to Morgana. She noted once again the Spirit Amulet around his neck, which continued to glow as he had realized the potential for two of the stones. "This Shadow in front of us was freed of its prison inside this Palace after you had unlocked the most recent attribute:  **Service**. From what we've learned, this Shadow embodies the opposite of the attribute you've unlocked:  **Hindrance,** and is now challenging the power we've unleashed."

"Long story short, we need to kick its ass and throw it back into its cell before it causes any more trouble towards your friend's relationship!" Caroline further explained.

"I'm sort of understanding what is happening. Nevertheless, whenever I see a Shadow, I'm always determined to fight back!" Morgana looked over to Justine, who began to summon her own Persona. Appearing above her was Onmoraki – a monstrous corpse of a bird capable of Nuclear abilities.

Sensing a power stirring up inside him, Morgana understood what he had to do. Focusing on that returning power, Morgana became surrounded by blue flames as he shouted, unleashing a long-awaited power within him.

"This is my ultimate Persona! I call upon you,  **Mercurius**!"

Appearing above him was his Persona – a blue armoured figure with majestic wings sprouting from both its feet and eyes. It held a golden sceptre decorated with wings in one hand. Morgana hopped in excitement, happy to see that he was able to summon Persona after months of being unable to use its power. Caroline and Justine joined alongside him with their respective Personas as they faced against the lone Shadow Mika.

 _"Hmph! You dare hinder me in achieving my goals! Such peasants that can be manipulated easily, such as Takamaki-san, have no right to climb upon the ladder of success! I will do everything in my power to prevent those from accomplishing their true potential! The success of the world is all for me!"_  Shadow Mika cackled. Suddenly, her physical form began to dissipate into black liquid before reforming itself into its true Shadow form:  **King Frost** – a gigantic white snowy figure wearing a crown, with long hair and held a golden sceptre. Its body was protected by golden armour locked around it.

 _"Come out, my peasants! Wreck havoc upon these underlings! Use your icy powers to stop them from preventing me from reigning rule!"_  Shadow Mika commanded. In her King Frost form, she raised her sceptre and summoned a group of Jack Frosts, commanding them to charge at the trio.

"Hmph! These blue gremlins are  _nothing_ against my Persona's fiery powers!" Caroline directed her baton at the group of Jack Frosts charging at them. Jack O' Lantern used its  _Maragidyne_ powers and blasted a fiery of column at the group Jack Frosts, immediately defeating the shadows. Caroline called out to her companions. "Justine! Take the feline and handle the ice queen! I will hold off the rest of these puny Jack Frosts myself!"

"Morgana! Let's go and attack the Shadow form directly." Justine directed. Morgana nodded and the two made their way past the Jack Frosts as Caroline continued blasting them with her Persona's fire skills. Facing Shadow Mika's King Frost form, Justine directed Onmoraki to attack. "Weaken it with your  _Freidyne_  ability!"

Onmoraki summoned its Nuclear ability, landing a large explosion of nuclear power at Shadow Mika, inflicting major damage. Shadow Mika growled in fury and raised her sceptre, summoning its  _Bufudyne_ power and inflicting heavy ice damage to both Justine and her Onmoraki.

"Mercurius! Unleash your  _Garudyne_  power and sweep 'em off their feet!" Morgana commanded his Persona. Mercuruis summoned a powerful wind at Shadow Mika, knocking her onto the ground. Shadow Mika rolled in frustration on her side as she attempted to get up.

"Hah! Nice going, feline!" Caroline exclaimed, joining Justine and Morgana after dealing with the group of Jack Frosts. She pointed her baton at the fallen Shadow Mika. "You will not hinder any one else of their potential, you damned ice queen! With the power of .. uh.. service, I think, we will look out upon those who need help and offer our assistance for support! Isn't that right, feline?"

"Yeah! That's exactly it!" Morgana agreed with Caroline. He noted that since he realized the attribute of  **Service** and powered it up with the Spirit Amulet, the twins now understood the concept as well. Morgana pointed to the fallen Shadow Mika and gave his own word. "You tried to hinder the growth of Lady Ann's acting potential and further complicate the relationship between her and Ren. But their bond is much stronger than your own selfish desires! Your intent to hinder Ann's growth will  _never_ overcome her heart's strength! With the support and service Ren offered, your efforts will result into nothing!"

 _"You.. may be right."_  Shadow Mika calmly spoke, much to the surprise of Morgana and the twins. She stopped rolling around the floor and began to accept her defeat. The words of the trio connected to her spirit as it slowly changed from a desire to hinder to a belief of serving others. Shadow Mika reverted from her King Frost form back to her regular body as she slumped onto the floor in defeat.  _"I.. was too selfish. I thought of myself highly over others and did everything I could to hinder the abilities. But now I realize that serving others is better in building relationships.."_

"You're damn right!" Caroline walked right up to the fallen Shadow Mika and directed her baton in front of their face. "Now get back into your cell and stay there for all eternity!"

As if on cue, Shadow Mika's body dissipated into a sparkle of light and flew towards the back of the ballroom. At the other end was a grand doorway where the light disappeared into the darkness within. The doors closed, sealing the shadow inside.

"This is where you now come in, Morgana." Justine said, requesting Morgana to follow her and Caroline to the doorways. Taking a closer look, the design of the doors had the image of the Spirit Amulet etched on it. Justine pointed to Morgana's amulet. "With the newfound energy you've discovered through the bonds of the  **Trickster**  and the  **Lover** , you must use its power to lock away it's opposing attribute in order to prevent its shadow from causing any more damage."

Morgana nodded. Commanding the power of the Spirit Amulet around his neck, the lights from one of the stones flew out and shot directly into the centre of the doorway. The borders and outlining of the door now glowed, symbolizing the opposing attribute was now locked away.

"Hmph! Overall, good job, feline! I guess you were of good use to us after all!" Caroline complimented, waving her baton aggressively in front of her.

"First of all, can you stop calling me feline! It sounds really derogatory when you say it like that!" Morgana argued. He suddenly felt his knees go weak and decided to sit down on the floor to rest. It had been awhile since he'd summon his Persona and the battle they had just fought drained away a lot of his energy. He began to drill the twins with questions on their current predicament. "What's going on? When did this entire Palace appear? And why are Shadows suddenly thrown into the equation? I thought all I had to do was understand the eight attributes to power up this amulet!"

"We did so too, but it seems there is more to the story than what we had thought," Justine explained. After letting Morgana rest for a bit, the trio headed back to the foyer of the mysterious Palace. Justine opened up the first doorway across from the main Palace's entrance and directed them through a long hallway lit by a row of torches on the wall. Reaching the end, the trio found themselves in a fountain-like room. Water dripped from the cobble stone walls as it flowed into the floor below. An elevated, white, marble platform was built in the middle of the room with eight pillars each holding its own gemstone encircling on top, with a stairway leading up to it from where the trio had entered.

"What is this place?" Morgana asked. He turned around to face Caroline and Justine, but noticed that they both began to glow. Suddenly, a bright light enveloped around their bodies as they merged together. As the light diminished, the form of Lavenza appeared and greeted Morgana. He jumped in surprise at what just happened. "GAH! What the- you can just do that whenever you feel like it?"

"I apologize for not explaining my powers to you sooner, for we had to deal with the urgent matter at hand. I am only able to use the powers of my Persona through the forms of my twins." Lavenza explained. She directed Morgana to follow her up the stairs to the elevated platform in the middle.

An altar stood within the middle with the shape of a heart of light floating above it. The heart beat among the quiet fountain room as water continued to drip into the area. Lavenza continued to explain. "This is the  **Room of Attribution**. This entire building we've roamed around in is called the  **Spirit Palace** , home to the amulet around your neck. The heart you see here is the symbol of the  **Trickster**  and  **Lover's**  relationship."

"This heart.. represents  _Ren and Ann's relationship_?" Morgana repeated.

"You see, in order to obtain the Spirit Amulet, it is required for a bond to be traded as a temporary compensation to take its place on the altar." Lavenza further explained. "As you unlock the attributes to the Spirit Amulet, it will unlock the opposing energy as well, known as  **Shadow Attributes**. Afterwards, it becomes a battle in the Palace between the positive and negative attributes. Whichever power wins will be added to either strengthen or diminish the bond of the Trickster and Lover."

"So from my understanding, this place is now a Palace for Ren and Ann's relationship, which so happens to be the  **Treasure**.." Morgana began to understand the meaning of the Spirit Palace and how the attributes and amulet connected. "So every time we accomplish an attribute, the enemy within will be freed and we must prevent it from swallowing up and destroying the treasured bond."

"Yes.. in a way, it creates balance _._ **Joy**  cannot be present without  **Depression**.  **Service**  cannot be realized without the understanding of  **Hinderance** , and so forth." Lavenza clarified. "Morgana.. as you are the current owner of the Spirit Amulet, you are also the  **guardian**  of Ren and Ann's special bond as we continue to realize its true power."

"But why did the current shadow of  **Hinderance**  appear as Mika?" Morgana asked. Lavenza could only surmise that the form of the Shadow will take form of a person in the real world that best fits the description of the opposing attribute at the time, which depends on both Ren and Ann's cognition. Regardless, the Shadow would have the potential of learning the positive attribute, in this case, Shadow Mika and her revelation in regards to  **Service.** Morgana's head could only begin scratching at the surface from the load of information he was now receiving. "So..would the changes that happened to the cognition of the Shadow also affect the person in the real world?"

"We can only find out afterwards.. These Shadows are only a cognition of what is perceived through the Trickster and the Lover's bond. But seeing as how influential this Palace is, there may be slight changes that occur in the real world. This place is different than the normal Metaverse you've been used to exploring." Lavenza explained.

Morgana's mind continued pondering on the powers of the Spirit Palace and how it connected to Ren and Ann's bond.

_This entire place.. This must mean that there is so much on line with Ren and Ann's relationship.. And I have to be sure to protect this bond, otherwise the negative attributes could destroy it.._

"Hold on! What about the first attribute I obtained..  **Joy**? We didn't fight the Shadow of that one yet!" Morgana proclaimed in worry.

"I cannot truly answer that question right now, for my twin form has been looking out for the Shadow for quite some time. The Spirit Palace is quite massive, therefore we are still on guard and figuring out where the Shadow might be." Lavenza assured him. "Once the Shadow is located, I will ensure to call upon your assistance, for your amulet with the realized Spirit attribute is needed to lock away the Shadow attribute. You will know once the respective stone on the amulet glows."

This entire encounter in the Spirit Palace and understanding of the Shadow Attributes and Room of Attribution made Morgana realize how important this entire mission became. The fate of Ren and Ann's relationship depended on him to understand more about their bond and the attributes affiliated with it through the experiences they'd encounter in the real world.

And if he wanted to become human, Morgana needed to fight against the Shadow Attributes that would appear in the Spirit Palace, as well as help Ren and Ann's bond grow in the real world.

"I..I.. think I need to rest.. I'm feeling really exhausted.." Morgana moaned.

* * *

 **~ JUNE ~  
** **Kyoto, Japan  
** **Amamiya Residence  
** **Evening**

* * *

Lavenza returned Morgana to the real world, bringing him right back to the same location at the exact time they had left a moment ago. After returning to Ren in the coffee shop, the duo spent another hour there before they headed home. During the entire trip, Ren noted Morgana's exhaustion as the cat snored inside his bag.

 _Huh.. I haven't seen him this tired since the last time we went about infiltrating Palaces.._ Ren thought. As he entered his home and greeted his parents, Ren went straight upstairs to shower and change. Jumping into bed, he looked over to his school bag to find Morgana still napping. Ren smiled and was about to sleep when he received a text message from his phone. He picked it up to read the text.

_[ Heyyy.. I know it's late, but you mind if we video chat for a bit? ] - Ann Takamaki_

Ren replied and began a video chat with Ann right away. "Hey, what's up?"

" _Sorry for calling you so late again.. it's just that I got a really weird text right now.."_ Ann explained.  _"..It was from Mika-chan.."_

"..Is she bothering you again?" Ren raised an eyebrow.

" _No actually, it's quite the opposite.."_ Ann took a moment to find the text message she had received from Mika a few moments ago. She read the message to Ren.

_"Good evening, Takamaki-san.. I know it's rare of me to message you out of the blue like this, but I heard about you receiving the role. I know I'm always so competitive, especially when it comes to you, but I never mean to hinder your confidence.. I've always thought of this as a sort of friendly competition in hopes of encouraging both of us to do our best. Anyway, can't wait to work with you soon! - Mika "_

"Do you really believe in what she said?" Ren asked, wanting Ann to carefully consider the message she received. This hadn't been the first time Mika had put up a false sense of kindness only to do a complete 180 and suddenly talk trash the minute afterwards in order to benefit herself. Mika had done this multiple times last year with not just Ann, but other models so she could steal away their photoshoots.

" _I.. don't know actually.. but I've considered that I shouldn't turn a cheek away from this.. I should look at this as a moment to continue building our friendship without hinderance. In a way, this competition we've always had is a way we can service each other's strengths and encourage growth, right?"_ Ann commented.

"It's always like you to look at things in a more optimistic light, Ann. That's what makes you so special." Ren smiled, causing Ann to return the gesture. "By the way, did Yukari-senpai provide you with further dates on when you will be shooting your movie?"

" _Oh, right! Yeah, since it's only a tv movie, production won't be too long compared to the usual big blockbuster ones. I believe it'll only be a couple weeks for us to film all our scenes in Kyoto around the end of July and a little bit into August, which means I'll be able to spend some more time with you afterwards."_ Ann winked. She tilted her head to the side as another thought popped into her mind.  _"By the way.. are we still doing that whole band idea that Ryuji mentioned a month ago? I'm still not sure if I'm comfortable with singing, babe.."_

"I mean, it'd be nice if we won it and got those VIP tickets to the Rise Kujikawa concert at the end of the festival, right?" Ren mentioned. Ann groaned and agreed.

Still sensing her hesitation on the subject, Ren got out of his bed and picked up his acoustic guitar from beside his desk and sat back down as he began to tune it. "You know, I've actually been practicing a bit of guitar every now and then in case our plans come to fruition."

" _Ooooh, really now? I've never seen you play guitar! Are you good? Uhh.. Not that I'm doubting, eheheh. This is just totally different from what we're used to doing."_ Ann took a moment to shift onto her side in bed as she got comfortable, requesting a performance from her boyfriend.  _"So! Mind giving me a sample of your amazing guitar strumming?"_

Ren nodded as he finished tuning his guitar. He took a moment to think of a song that he could play for Ann. Deciding on it, he played around with chords to familiarize himself with the progression, humming the melody as a warm-up. Taking a deep breath, Ren began to sing the melodic chorus along with the gentle strumming of the guitar as both his voice and instrument meshed together in harmony.

 _I love those big blue eyes  
_ _That stare into mine  
_ _Seeing past all my doubts  
_ _Well, you're my piece of mind_

 _No one to calm me down  
_ _As the world falls apart  
_ _Well you know my heart  
_ _Know where to start_

As Ren continued strumming on the guitar with his gentle singing, Morgana began to awaken as his ears were attracted to the harmonious acoustics playing in the bedroom. He noticed Ren's phone screen with the video chat open of Ann as she admired her boyfriend's playing. Smiling at the sight, Morgana quickly resumed his nap.

 _Oh, I've been everywhere  
_ _And I've seen everything  
_ _And I've traveled miles and miles  
_ _Nothin' more than I need_

 _The way you take my hand  
_ _As I fall off the path  
_ _Well you know the math  
_ _My other half_

Ann hid a part of her face underneath her blanket as she continued listening to Ren play, hiding her giant smile as she blushed at her boyfriend's singing. It felt like Ann was having her own personal concert while Ren serenaded her. Ann felt her heart began to race as she still tried to comprehend that Ren had the confidence to present her this adorable gesture seemingly out of nowhere.

 _Oh no, I can't be myself with anyone but you  
_ _Oh no, I can't see myself with anyone but you  
_ _No, I won't take the hand of anyone else  
_ _But you  
_ _Anyone but you_

Ren slowly played the last chord of the song, leaving a moment of silence fill the air. He gently laid his acoustic guitar upright onto the side of his bed as he scratched the back of his head. It had been awhile since Ren played and sang guitar. From his perspective, he sounded a bit rusty. He turned over to his phone to see Ann's reaction.

" _Awwwwhhh… Ren-kun… That was… oh my gosh, I feel my heart still pounding after all that. Like, your voice, your guitar.. everything about it was soo adorable! And you actually sounded reaaally good, and I'm not just saying it because you're my boyfriend and all, heheh."_ Ann gushed. She ended up digging her face into her pillow in an attempt to keep herself calm. Ann took a moment to look at Ren on her phone screen. " _Ren.. I feel like you could win the music competition all by yourself.. We don't need a full band, we've got you.. I think that's all we need."_

"Ann.. if we're really going to do this music competition, I want all of us do to it. We're a team. That's where our strengths come into full play." Ren gently explained. Although he appreciated Ann's comments, in reality, he thought it would be more fun if the rest of their friends practiced together. Whether they'd win or not, Ren believed this would be a great way for their friends to bond once more. "..I was even considering to practice singing with you while you stayed in Kyoto to film the Feathermen movie.. if that's cool with you?"

" _Yes..Yeah I would love that."_ Ann agreed, smiling at their resolve. Not only would this be a good opportunity to spend more time together during the summer break, but it would allow her to practice her singing abilities if they were going to commit to their band idea. Ren's offer was just another example of his belief in her abilities and the service he was willing to provide to nurture her skills.

Ann fell silent for a moment as a thought came to her mind. It took her a moment to muster up the courage to ask.  _"Uhm.. you know, while I'm filming, I would need a place to stay the entire time in Kyoto.. I was wondering if it'd be okay if I could possibly.. sleep at your place?"_

Ren was surprised by Ann's request, needing to take a moment to carefully think about this decision. This was no ordinary request, but one that would possibly move their relationship to a higher degree. But what would his parents think? It'd be difficult to have Ann staying at his home without suspicion, even if he did try to explain that it was only to accommodate her needs for her upcoming job. His parents were smart and capable of putting two-and-two together.

" _Ren..? So.. what's your answer?"_ Ann's voice broke his train of thought.

"Uhm.. I'll talk to my parents about it first.. I wouldn't want them to worry about things being.. awkward." Ren stuttered. He cringed at his choice of words, knowing that he'd immediately regret saying them.

" _Awkward..? Ren, it's not like I'm going to be sleeping in the same bed as you.. And I haven't been the only one staying at your house previously - the others have as well."_ Ann disputed. She took a moment to realize what Ren was really implying.  _"Wait.. is this all because your parents still don't know about our relationship yet? Ren.. why does that even matter in this case? All I'm requesting is a place of accommodation, but it seems that you are still too afraid of letting them know about us.."_

"Ann.. it's not like that.. I just need to respect their wishes. I just haven't gotten the chance to really talk to them about our relationship.." Ren attempted to diffuse the situation. "Please understand.. Let me try talking to them. All they do know is that you're a friend of mine and I'm sure they'd let you stay here for a couple days. I do want you to be here with me.."

" _Friend..."_ Ann repeated the word that had stuck out the most to her from Ren's reason. She sighed. Just a moment ago they'd been sharing an intimate moment from Ren's singing, and now they were having an intense discussion about the status of their relationship in regards to Ren's parents knowing about them. As much as this frustrated Ann, she truly did want to stay close to Ren during her stay in Kyoto for filming. For now, Ann agreed to Ren's terms.  _"..Fine. I trust that you'll work things out with your parents, Amamiya.."_

Around this moment, Morgana had slowly awaken from his nap, noting that both Ren and Ann were a bit distressed in their discussion. After awhile, the pair agreed that they both needed rest. Saying their good nights to each other, the two ended the video chat. Ren let out a deep sigh as he dropped his phone over to his desk and simply stared at his ceiling, running a hand through his hair as various thoughts crowded his mind.

 _This is a first.. I haven't seen Ren like this before.. Did he and Ann have a disagreement?_ Morgana thought to himself.

He reflected on the events the couple had endured in the last couple days, with Ann stressing over her audition for the Featherman movie - and Ren with going through all the trouble to talk to Yukari to give her another chance. Along with the long-distance they both had to endure in regards to their relationship, it made sense for a bit of pressure to begin building up.

With this thought in mind, Morgana remembered his adventure through the Spirit Palace earlier that day and how he understood his purpose in being the guardian of Ren and Ann's bond.

 _The Shadow of_ _**Hindrance** _ _has been overcome by myself and the twins.. but I'm still worried about the Shadow of_ _**Depression** _ _lingering about in the Palace.. Among other factors I also hadn't expected so much other stuff to challenge Ren and Ann's relationship.._

Morgana looked down to the Spirit Amulet around his collar, noting two of the eight stones glow. Suddenly, the voice of Lavenza echoed into his mind and confirmed his thoughts.

 _"You've understood the Spirit of_ _**Joy** _ _the couple experience in their small moments together, and the Spirit of_ _**Service** _ _they're willing to provide in support of each other's passions.. You need to understand more about the concept of human relationships – along with fighting against the negative attributes opposing the positive aspects of their bond.. This is going to be tougher than expected, Morgana.."_

 _"But you're the_ _**only** _ _one who can do this.. For their sake.. Be their Spirit Guardian.."_

_._

_.._

…

_**To be continued!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope that y'all enjoyed the change of pace as the story begins hitting the action-packed parts that will occur later on with Morgana, the twins and the Spirit Realm (something I've planned since the very beginning).
> 
> Rest assured, they won't be the only Persona users you'll see in action ;)
> 
> Plus, we'll soon be getting a closer look at the mysterious "Persona power" mentioned in the summary that will interfere and drive the main plot between Ren, Ann and Morgana.
> 
> ShuAnn week still steadily approaches! If you haven't read yet, I'll be updating my account with a brand new story called "Captured Memories" that will update with a chapter every week from July 1 - 7! All chapters have been given a specific prompt, which will be seamlessly connected into one big story. I can't wait to share this story about Ren and Ann with everyone!
> 
> Hope y'all have a blessed week!
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	9. Summer Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren's parents continue their disapproval of Ann. Filming begins for Ann's movie as a new face appears. Morgana's communication with the twins continue in the real world."

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 9: SUMMER BREAK**

* * *

 __ **\- JULY -**  
Kyoto, Japan  
Amamiya Residence  
Evening

* * *

The days of the rainy Spring season passed as Japan entered the heat of Summer. With final exams just finished, students had the last week of July and the whole month of August to spend their summer break with relaxation and fun. For Ann however, work continued as she began preparations for filming of the Phoenix Ranger Feathermen Victory television movie for the next few weeks. Throughout the last couple weeks as she studied for her exams, she had meetings with Yukari on what was expected of her during filming, how scheduling would work, details on the plot and studied the script she was given for the super-villain character she'd be portraying.

For Ren, he had been busy with his own exams at Horikawa, as well as deciding on what he'd want to do after high school. Once summer break ended, Ren would only have one more term left in his third-year to think about a possible career path, which he was still uncertain about. His parents encouraged him to attend university and begin preparations for his entrance exams, but it wouldn't be productive without an idea on which courses he wanted to take.

In the meantime, Ann had begun packing up and preparing her trip to Ren's home where she'd be staying for the time-being for filming. The discussion between Ren and his parents had been a difficult one to jump around without giving hints about his relationship with Ann.

"I'm going to be having a friend over during the next few weeks," Ren began explaining over dinner one night with his parents. Morgana had joined along them, eating in his usual spot underneath the table. Ren awaited a couple days after his video chat with Ann before bringing up the topic to his parents.

"Oh, is it one of your friends again from Tokyo?" Mrs. Amamiya asked. Ren nodded, to his mother's delight. She was pleased that Ren was still keeping in touch with his friends that accepted him last year even knowing he had a false criminal record. However, her husband expressed concern over his son's decision.

"Ren-kun, we don't mind accommodating your friends in our home. But for two weeks? What purpose will they need to stay that long?" Mr. Amamiya pressed on.

"They will be filming a movie – one regarding to the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory show," Ren explained. His answer was met with silence by his parents. Ren continued. "You remember my friend, Ann Takamaki? She's currently a model and just landed a very big role in the movie and she is requesting accommodation here in Kyoto to save on expenses."

"I see.. I was hoping for it to be Makoto-chan – she is a very intelligent and I was hoping to understand more about about her aspirations in becoming a police commissioner. She has a bright future ahead of her, son." Mr. Amamiya expressed.

"Or Haru Okumaru. She's such a sweet girl and I love her dedication to the coffee shop venture she's managed to build up. I assumed you two had already grown very close as well, seeing that you're always working there on the weekends or to simply study." Mrs. Amamiya commented.

"Mother, Father.. Who I've grown a special bond isn't want I want to discuss. I'm simply asking for permission if Takamaki-san may stay with us for the duration of her filming." Ren attempted to redirect the conversation. Mrs. Amamiya eventually agreed, but her husband expressed other concerns.

"Takamaki-san? You mean the girl that ended up hitting both you and your friend Ryuji with our couch pillows that night before helping out with Ms. Okumara's coffee shop? Hmm.. I was hoping to expect better company.." Mr. Amamiya commented. Ren and Morgana had been taken aback by his comment. Mr. Amamiya explained further. "My apologies, son. Although she may be a sweet girl, she isn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Modeling and acting just aren't stable careers, in my opinion. Even Futaba Sakura showcased in being more knowledgeable than Takamaki-san with her expertise in computer programming.."

"Now dear, there is no need to be so critical about Takamaki-san's interests. Everyone is entitled to pursue in what interests them. According to Ren-kun, Takamaki-san has become moderately successful in her career for someone of her age." Mrs. Amamiya turned over to Ren and nodded, assuring him not to worry about his father's comments. Ren nodded back. Even though his father was known to joke at times, he could be very sharp with his words. Ren turned back to his father, noting the questionable look on his face.

"Son.. Your intention to have her stay with us is simply to accommodate for her job, correct? This has nothing with you being entranced by her looks, right?" Mr. Amamiya asked, raising a brow to Ren and caused his son to cough while sipping his glass of water.

"Huh? N-No! Father, I have no further intentions with Ann.. We're just friends.." Ren attempted to affirm his father. Morgana had perked his ears up from underneath the table, in disbelief at the words Ren had spoken.

 _Ren… You don't mean that at all.. At least, not to your parents.._ Morgana thought. He understood that Ren was unable to mention anything to his parents in regards to any kind of relationship. But hearing Ren lie didn't sound right to Morgana. He knew howt much Ren cared about Ann and to hear him say those words felt wrong to hear.

"..Good. You understand what your mother and I have stated. We don't want you getting distracted by  _any_ intimate relationship whatsoever right now. Focus on your school and once you've established your capabilities of stabilizing a productive career path,  _then_ we may bless you to pursue a relationship." Mr. Amamiya reminded Ren.

"We simply want the best for your future, Ren-kun. Relationships are definitely valuable, but we'd like you to understand that there is a time and a place for everything. School and family must come first, then romance will surely follow." Mrs. Amamiya explained with a gentle, yet instructive tone. Being a professor at a university, Ren's mother was capable of speaking her mind in a clear matter. "And hopefully, whomever you may pursue - they'll be to the likes of Niijima-san or Okumaru-san. Regardless, your friend Takamaki-san is more than welcome to stay with us until she finishes with her job."

Morgana continued watching from underneath the table, noticing the conflicted look on Ren's face. Even though he was able to convince his parents to allow Ann to stay with them, the additional comments about her weren't exactly uplifting. They reinforced their opinion about disapproving Ren being in a relationship, but also expressed that if he ever pursue one in the future, that Ann wasn't their recommended option for him. If they didn't even accept Ann without even know their relationship, what difference would it make if they found out he was in one with her?

 _Dang.. this is definitely a predicament.._  Morgana pondered to himself as Ren and his parents began cleaning up their kitchen in the background. He stared down, noting the Spirit Amulet around his collar. The Spirit of  **Joy**  and  **Service**  were now in his grasp, but what other attributes would he learn through the bond of Ren and Ann?

_I sense a further test coming up in their bond.. I need to understand more about these attributes as soon as possible.._

* * *

****_\- JULY -  
_ _Kyoto, Japan  
_ _Kyoto Train Station, Nozomi Line_  
Afternoon

* * *

Within the centre of downtown Kyoto was the bustling Kyoto Train Station, where many commuters awaited the various transport lines to come by to pick them up for their travels, or to drop off those who were visiting the city. Ren and Morgana currently awaited on the platform for Ann's train to arrive. They watched as many lined up along the platform as the next train would slow to a stop as passengers would flood out - the cycle repeating countless times.

"Uggh… I'm  _sooo_ bored and  _sooo_ hungry." Morgana groaned. The duo had been waiting there for a little over an hour, missing the chance to eat lunch as they opted to wait for Ann's arrival. Peeking his head out from Ren's bag, Morgana looked up to see Ren slowly nodding off in the seat beside him. Morgana meowed to get Ren's attention. "Hey! Stay awake! What if Lady Ann came and you missed her coming out of the train?"

"Ugh.. Uhm.. I'm sure she would've called me by then." Ren assured him. He took out his phone and saw no notifications as of yet, which was odd since Ann had said she would've messaged him by the time her train was close. Suddenly, the intercoms echoed throughout the station, alerting that the Nozomi line was now approaching. Ren and Morgana watched as the train moved up to the platform and opened its doors. Ren hastily stood up when he finally saw Ann exit from the train cart.

"Hey there!" Ann greeted them. She was currently wearing her casual summer attire, consisting of a red plaid shirt currently buttoned up, blue denim short shorts and red sneakers. Ann rolled in with a large, pink suitcases with a large heart-shaped sticker on the front with various brightly coloured stickers as decorations. She smiled at Ren. "Well.. it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Ren walked up to her and without warning, embraced Ann with an arm around her waist, pulling her in and followed up with a passionate kiss on the lips. Ann ended up dropping the handle to her suitcase, which fell on the ground as she took in the gesture. Morgana witnessed the entire thing and dropped his jaw in complete shock.

_Hooooly smokes… This guy is super bold to do that in public!_

"Whoah… uhh.. I-I wasn't expecting that.. Heheheh.. Mhmhmm." Ann stuttered, still feeling ecstatic by the surprise kiss Ren gave her. She immediately had to fan herself with her hand as she blushed intensely. "Hoooo.. uhm.. is the weather really hot right now or is it just me..?"

"I'm just glad to see you." Ren smiled. It had been an entire month since they'd seen each other in person, so Ren may have let himself get carried away with the public display of affection, but that didn't matter to him. He immediately crouched down to pick up the handle of the suitcase Ann had just dropped. "Come on, you must be starving right now. Let's get something to eat."

Ren went back to collect his bag with Morgana sitting inside and directed Ann outside of the train station, bringing her to a restaurant where they three of them ate lunch. Afterwards, the group stopped by to Haru's coffee shop to pick up a couple iced coffee drinks to cool themselves as they made their way back to Ren's home. The two were greeted by Mrs. Amamiya.

"Ah! Ren-kun, you're back. And you've finally brought your  _friend_  here." Mrs. Amamiya went over to shake Ann's hand. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Takamaki-chan."

"Thank you so much for having me, Amamiya-san." Ann bowed as she returned the handshake. She noted the use of "friend" once more used as reference to her. Ann shook it off, deciding not to dwell on it too much for the time being. "I really do appreciate you for letting me stay here for the next two weeks for my job. I hope I won't be too much of a bother for your family."

"Not at all! We're always glad to lend a helping hand for a  _friend_  of Ren's!" Mrs. Amamiya delightfully said. She directed her son to show Ann the guest bedroom in the basement. Ren took Ann's suitcase and carried it downstairs, showing her the bedroom his father made for the occasion of guests. The room had a single-bed, a single drawer, a small closet and even it's own personal bathroom, with a double-paned window near the ceiling that peered into the front yard outside.

"Wow! I forgot that your father is an architect and designed this home himself. It's like he's a fashion designer but for houses, heheh." Ann complimented, admiring the bedroom. She acknowledged that the small-size made it look cute. "I actually haven't been down here the last couple times the rest of our friends stopped by. I always ended up sleeping upstairs in the living room with the other girls."

"Well, this space is all yours for the next few weeks. Make yourself at home." Ren said, leaning on the side of the doorway as Ann rolled her suitcase up to the closet. "So.. what have your parents said? They're okay with you staying at a friend's house outside the city, right?"

"Yeah.. a friend's house.. That's what I had to say.." Ann sighed as she sat down on the edge of the bed to rest for a bit. Since her parent's were both fashion designers often called to go out of the country to organize extravagant shows, Ann rarely saw them at home. Most of the time Ann was accompanied with a live-in caretaker her parents hired. As it was the summer season, the Takamaki's were currently out doing their usual jobs, but Ann made sure to call them to inform where she'd be residing. Fortunately, her parents supported her decision on moving in with a  _friend_  of hers for the time being and were proud of the movie role she was able to obtain. Ann looked over to Ren and patted on the space beside her on the bed. "Come sit with me."

Ren complied, sitting beside Ann as the two sat in silence for a moment. Ren noted that Ann was deep in thought as she kept her gaze forward while leaning back with her arms supported on the bed. Meanwhile, Morgana had taken refuge on top of the drawer beside the bed as he groomed himself, awaiting further action between the couple.

 _Two people.. A boy and a girl.. Both sitting on a bed with no other humans to watch.. Nothing could possibly happen right now.. Right?_ Morgana thought to himself as he licked his paw.

"Your parents.. They still don't know about us, right?" Ann outright asked her boyfriend, who could only nod in silence. The last time they had discussed the matter was a month ago after Ann video chatted with Ren the same day Yukari gave her the role. Ann had been direct and expressed her frustration on the matter of only being known as Ren's friend to his parents and was hoping he'd finally clarify it by now. It was clear he hadn't by his mother still referring to Ann by the formal term. "Be honest, Ren-kun.. This isn't going to be awkward between me and your parents, will it?"

Ren took a moment to answer her question. He reflected on the comments his father made for suspicion of Ren requesting Ann to stay over, as well as the comments he made on disapproving Ren of pursuing any sort of intimate relationship. Deciding to withhold those details, he instead assured Ann. "Like my mother stated, they are both totally okay with you staying here with us for now. No need to worry about it."

"..Okay, I believe you." Ann said, giving a gentle smile to Ren before leaning over to him to lay her head on his shoulder. She gave out another sigh. "Sorry if I seems like I'm a bit stressed out. It just feels that there's no brakes on this busy road I'm taking. I just finished final exams and right away I'm already going to start work on filming with Yukari.. Although, I shouldn't be the one to complain since I asked for this, eheh.."

"You'll be fine, Ann. Everything you've done with strengthening your heart and overcoming these obstacles has built you up for this purpose. Yukari wouldn't have gone all the way to ask for your talents if she didn't believe in them." Ren encouraged, taking his arm and wrapping it around Ann as he rubbed her arm to soothe her. "And I'll always be here at the end of the day to support you.. I mean literally, since this is my home, Ann."

"Heheh.. yeah, you're right. Although with your parents home, I doubt we'd get to spend a lot of intimate moments together here.. I'm guessing we're still going to have to stick with video chats in our separate bedrooms for the time being.. Ugh.. even when I'm close to you, I still feel like I'm far away.." Ann pouted, turning over to Ren to see the distressed look on his face by her comment. "Oh hey, I didn't mean that in a bad way, you know.. Just trying to make the best out of our current position, that's all, Ren-kun."

Without warning, Ann playfully landed a couple small pecks of kisses onto the side of Ren's cheeks to cheer him up, which managed to make him smile. Ann giggled and gently pushed Ren back onto the bed as she leaned forward and followed him, going in for a more intimate kiss on their lips. As they held the kiss for a while, Ren took initiative and quickly ended it, reminding Ann of their situation. "Hey.. my mother is upstairs.. It would be best if we didn't risk anything."

"..Right, sorry.. I got carried away." Ann apologized, sitting back upright onto the edge of the bed. She didn't realize how far she had taken their intimacy. "Uhm… I'm going to be needing some time alone to get all my clothes unpacked."

Ren nodded. He looked over to the drawer where Morgana had been watching and directed to follow him upstairs. Morgana had his eyes closed the entire time during their intimate moment and sighed in relief that it hadn't escalated any further.

 _Phew… thank goodness for showing some restraint, Ren.. I swear, anyone else who'd be in that position would surely succumb to Lady Ann's affection and let her keep going.._ Morgana sighed to himself, shaking his head as he followed Ren back upstairs to the main floor.  _I mean.. I know I would totally fall for it.._

" _ **At least you're being honest to yourself, Morgana."**_ A voice of a girl suddenly echoed into his mind. Morgana took a moment to look around him, realizing that it came from the same telepathic connection he had with Lavenza - but this voice sounded calmer akin to Justine's.

" _ **Hey! Shuddup Justine! He'll totally hear your voice! Oh no! He probably heard mine too!"**_ Another voice echoed, this time Morgana immediately recognizing it to be Caroline's.

" _ **Hold up.. the twins? You guys can hear and see what I hear and see? Since when?"**_ Morgana thought into the connection they currently had.

" _ **Ohh, well our counterpart, Lavenza, had set up this connection ever since you moved in with the Trickster at his home."**_ Caroline's voice echoed into Morgana's mind.  _ **"My sister and I have decided to be more active in our communication with you to ensure that you're doing your job correctly, Feline."**_

" _ **Hey! I told you to stop calling me that!"**_ Morgana argued.

" _ **Morgana, have you sensed any new attributes coming to realization into the Spirit Amulet?"**_ Justine asked. Morgana denied, not having any sort of progress so far since Ren and Ann hadn't seen each other since last June. " _ **I understand.. We haven't made any progress in finding the first Shadow attribute you had awakened in the Spirit Palace in opposition to the concept of Joy you've learned, but we shall surely let you know once we've gather more details."**_

" _ **That means no slacking off, Feline! You better understand the remaining attributes, otherwise the bond of your friends will diminish!"**_ Caroline's voiced growled at him, causing Morgana to shake his head in annoyance.

_Sheesh.. Is this how it's going to be from now on?_

* * *

_**\- JULY -  
** _ _**Kyoto, Japan  
** _ **Horikawa Senior High School  
** **Morning**

* * *

The next day soon followed, which meant that filming for television movie special of the Feathermen began. Ann had to awaken early in order to get ready and arrive on time as they had a strict schedule to follow. The production team had given Ann the script a few weeks prior so she could go over her lines and be prepared for the actual scenes to be shot. Ann requested Ren to accompany on her first day on set, which would film through scenes about the regular life of the newer generation of Featherman characters in their high school before they received their powers.

"Good morning, Takamaki-san!" Yukari Takeba happily greeted them as Ren and Ann entered through the front gates. The Horikawa school entire campus grounds was crowded with the film crew running around to get everything set up. Tables with various foods and desserts were set up for the cast members to relax while their scenes weren't being shot, while trailers had been parked close by for the members to relax and have their make-up and wardrobe done.

"Good morning, Takeba-senpai!" Ann greeted Yukari as the two hugged. Throughout the last month, the two girls had grown a close bond as they both shared their experiences in their modeling careers and high school days during their meetings. For Ann, she was beginning to see Yukari not only as an inspiration through her modeling and acting career, but also as an older sister she could look up to. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought Ren along with me."

"Not at all! He helped you get to where you are now and we wouldn't have been able to fill in the role of the big, bad super-villain if he wasn't persistent. Ren-kun is definitely a man of loyalty!" Yukari exclaimed, giving a wink to Ren. She grabbed Ann's hand and began leading her to the wardrobe trailer. "Ohh, by the way, we've got your costume set up! We'll be recording a majority of your scenes near the end of the day, so it'd be a good idea to get you set up already. Believe me, costumes like yours can take hours to get in, haha."

"Oh, for sure!" Ann exclaimed. She turned back to Ren and blew him a kiss before waving goodbye. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ren nodded. He was glad to see Ann happy in doing what she loved. Morgana eventually peeked out of his bag and took a glance at the busy set around the school. He looked up to Ren and noted the content look on his face. His efforts on pursuing Yukari to give an another chance at acting had paid off, and now they both were able to see the fruits of their labor with Ann beginning to film her scenes. Morgana had looked down and wondered if he'd begin to learn a new attribute for his Spirit Amulet, but as of yet, no new stones began to glow.

 _Hmm.. No new attributes to learn.. What more of human relationships do I need to understand?_ Morgana thought.

" _ **We don't know, Feline, but don't let your guard down! An attribute may suddenly reveal its potential to you at any moment. Keep your whiskers attentive!"**_ Caroline's voice suddenly echoed into Morgana's mind, catching him by surprise.

" _ **WHAT- you guys again? Grr… Even in my own thoughts, I can't get any privacy.."**_ Morgana groaned.  _ **"And for your information, Caroline, that's not what the function of my whiskers are for!"**_

" _ **Caroline and I have good reason to communicate to you. At this very moment, we sense a possible catalyst to a potential attribute being realized for you to understand."**_ Justine explained.

" _ **Huh.. What do you mean?"**_ Morgana raised an eyebrow, wondering what the twins were talking about. Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a loud engine of a motorcycle gradually getting closer to the school. Ren and Morgana turned around and witnessed a biker on a black motorbike revving into the school grounds, parking just past the gates. The duo noted the biker's attire, consisting of a two-piece motorcycle outfit, consisting of matching red pants and jacket, with a large X-design on the front of the jacket and black sneakers.

"Ahh! There he is! Our main star, Mr. Red Hawk has finally arrived!" one of the film crew members exclaimed, greeting the mysterious biker as they took off their helmet. Ren and Morgana noted the biker's facial appearance – their skin was lightly tanned with brown eyes and brown hair worn long with a center part. Even without their helmet, the biker was slightly taller compared to Ren's height.

"Morning.." the biker greeted Ren and Morgana with a monotonous tone as he noticed them. Ren greeted him back as the biker walked past them and proceeded to greet the other film team at the entrance of Horikawa. After they chatted for a bit, the entire group entered the school leaving Ren and Morgana by themselves at the school gates.

"Dang… He sure seems like a unique character.." Morgana commented to Ren, who nodded in agreement. They wondered who the mysterious individual was. Apparently he had great reputation among the crew members. Morgana couldn't help but note the debonair aura the biker emitted. It'd make sense though, considering the comments they heard from the crew member, that they would hire someone of his looks to be the main character of the Featherman movie.

_Hmm… something about him intrigues me.._

"Hey Ren, I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll catch up to you back at home, m'kay?" Morgana insisted, jumping out of the bag and assured his friend. Ren nodded and decided to head over to Okumaru Cafe as he considered beginning song arrangements for the summer band idea that Ryuji kept bringing up to their group. As Ren left the school grounds, Morgana snuck around the school and made his way to the track and field area where a majority of the film crew were present.

 _Huh.. I wonder where Lady Ann is.._ Morgana thought. He proceeded his way towards the trailers in the parking lot near the fields, ensuring that he wasn't spotted by any of the actors or cameramen that began setting up. Hopping up the ladder of the trailer, Morgana managed to make it on top of the roof as he peered down into the emergency hatch and noted the various clothes hung on one side.  _Hmph.. This must be the wardobe trailer.. Oooh! There's Lady Ann!_

"Gaah! This is suit is pretty tight!" Ann complained as she began to zip up the front of her outfit. Morgana's eyes widened as he recognized the suit. It was a complete replica of her Panther suit she had worn in the Metaverse, complete with the skin-tight red latex catsuit, the cutout cleavage and zippers, pink glovers and dark-red thigh-high boots. Her red panther mask laid atop on one of the shelves in the wardrobe trailer.

 _Sweet heavens .. She's in her Panther suit! Bless your soul for making this possible, Yukari Takeba.. What a beautiful day this has become.._ Morgana quietly admired Ann's figure in her suit before he was suddenly disrupted.

" _ **Hey! Feline! Stop perving out and focus on your mission!"**_ Caroline's voiced interrupted Morgana's moment of pleasure.

" _ **HUH- HEY! WILL YOU LET ME HAVE MY MOMENT!"**_

" _ **I will admit, the Lover definitely looks quite extravagant in that outfit of hers,"**_ Justine joined along in their conversation.  _ **"Although, I have questions on how she is able to fit her chest into the suit, considering how top-heavy she is-"**_

" _ **OH MY GOSH! JUSTINE!"**_ Caroline cut her sister off. _ **"And I thought the Feline had a sick mind. You're better than that, sister!"**_

" _ **Yet we're twins, so wouldn't that make our thought process alike, Caroline? And weren't you informing me of the exact same details of the Lover's chest mere moments ago?"**_ Justine calmly retorted, causing Caroline to bicker as she attempted to defend herself from the accusation.

 _Why have I been cursed by these twin's voices!_ Morgana sighed as he gave up and sat comfortably on top of the trailer, watching as Ann conversed with the rest of the crew members inside.

"Wow! Lookin'  _sexy_ , Ann! It's like you were born to wear this outfit!" Yukari complimented Ann. She herself had sported her signature Pink Argus costume, complete with the white gloves and boots, pink jumpsuit and cape. The Feathermen team had planned a scene where the new generation of the Featherman would witness the original Pink Argus in action at their school as they had their first encounter with the super-villain Ann would act as. "Don't worry about how stiff you feel inside the suit. You'll eventually get used to it!"

"Hmph… I won't lie, you actually look real good in that suit of your, Takamaki-san." another voice spoke in the wardrobe trailer. Mika entered and joined the two girls, sporting her own rendition of the Pink Argus outfit. It differed from Yukari's - with Mika's design consisting more of a black outline around the gloves and belt, and her boots were black instead of white. A golden breastplate of the Featherman logo was decorated on the front of the suit and did not have a cape flowing from the back.

"I have to admit Mika, your outfit looks super cool on you too." Ann complimented. It still felt surreal for her seeing two Pink Argus's in one room. From the script she'd read, Mika would be acting as the co-leader of the next generation of Feathermen at the high school her character attended, while Yukari's Pink Argus acted as their mentor to the new group, all while they would fight against Ann's super-villain character – which happened to also be rivals at the same school as Mika's character and gained evil powers from a mysterious force. "I hope it doesn't hurt  _too_ much in your suit when we get to beat up each other in the action scenes!"

"Uhmm.. didn't you get the memo, Takamaki-san? We have stunt doubles that will do all the action for us. I'm just here to look fabulous as the amazing Pink Argus leader!" Mika exclaimed, posing triumphantly in her suit.

"Huh? Really? Awwh.. we don't get to actually fight?" Ann slumped her entire body in disappointment. She was hoping to relive the adrenaline from her Phantom Thieves days through the fight scenes in the Featherman movie. "That sucks.. the battling looked like the most fun out of the show.."

"I'm lovin' your motivation, Ann! But since you guys are fairly new to the business, they crew wanted to make it easy for y'all and let the professionals handle it for now." Yukari explained. Unlike Ann and Mika, Yukari had years of experience under her belt and was capable of pulling off her own stunts flawlessly. She gave an encouraging nudge to Ann. "Don't worry! Hopefully if a sequel is green lit that next time you'll be able to do your own moves!"

"Regardless of how amazing you look in that suit, Takamaki-san, I'm not going to let you outshine  _my_ performance." Mika pointed at Ann as she stood heroically in her outfit. "My beauty as the Pink Argus will capture the eyes of everyone in Japan as they see  _me_ bless their television screens with my heroic presence!"

"Hmph! So what if you're the unsung heroes? The villains can shine in their own light too!" Ann picked up the mask for her Panther costume and wore it on her face, posing fiercely as she pointed back at Mika. "Anybody is capable of great things, whether they are the hero or villain. It's how strong your heart remains through the troubles you face! That's the message I want to show everyone around the world as they watch my character stands ferociously against the heroes!"

"Yeeess! I'm really feeling your characters coming to life right now! Now put all that energy into filming and this will turn out to be a spectacular movie!" Yukari stood in the middle between Ann and Mika as she pumped her fist in the air, joining along in their monologue. The three girls stood in silence for a moment, before laughing with each other at how dramatic they already were on their first day.

 _Geez.. These girls are really into their characters.. But at least Lady Ann is enjoying herself.._ Morgana smiled. Yukari was a very inspiring role model for Ann to look up to, and regardless of her competitiveness against Mika, the two seemed to have good chemistry. Morgana recounted his battle with Shadow Mika back at the Spirit Palace with the twins, and how she at first represented the Shadow attribute of  **Hinderance,** but now came to an understanding of the Spirit attribute of  **Service** when her Shadow was defeated.

 _Hmm.. I wonder if what we did in the Spirit Palace had an effect on Mika in the real world?_ Morgana thought further.  _I mean, she does seem to be less obnoxious and is bonding with Ann right now. Instead of hindering Ann's motivation, the two are managing to play off well as each other's opposites, serving together in this job and allowing both to shine in their characters.. Interesting.._

Just then, the door to the wardrobe trailer opened up once more. The girls turned around as another actor entered. Morgana immediately recognized them as the biker that drove into the school gates earlier.

"Well, if it isn't the  _new_  Red Hawk himself." Yukari greeted him. "Glad you could join us, Tatsuya Suou!"

"Oh my.. Uhh.. T-Tatsuya-san! It's  _soo_ nice to see you again." Mika stuttered. She began playing with her hair, unaware that she was turning red as she crossed a leg behind her other one in a shy manner. Morgana noted this and chuckled.

_Mweheheh.. Mika totally has a crush on him.._

"It's nice to see you too, Mika-chan." Tatsuya spoke with a deep, yet charming voice. His attention was immediately directed towards Ann as he caught her staring at him. He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sorry, have I met you before?"

"Hi! I'm Ann! Ann Takamaki" Ann greeted herself, offering a handshake to Tatsuya.

"I see.. It's a pleasure to meet you, Takamaki-san" Tatsuya responded. To Ann's surprise, Tatsuya gently grabbed her hand as he leaned forward to kiss it as a sign of courtesy. Witnessing the sight, Mika gritted her teeth as she clenched her hands, whilst Morgana opened his mouth in shock.

_Huh..? HEY! How dare he kiss Lady' Ann's hand like that! He should be aware that she's taken!_

"Ohh… uhh.. you're too kind, Tatsuya-san." Ann laughed nervously as she gently took her hand away from Tatsuya's grasp, rubbing the kissed part with her other hand.

"Always gotta be such a gentleman to all the ladies, isn't that right, Tatsuya?" Yukari commented. She began to introduce more about Tatsuya to Ann. "Now this charming boy managed to capture our hearts when we did a casting call in Sumaru City. The casting directors and I agreed that his unwavering and mysterious attitude would make for nice twist for Red Hawk, the main leader of the Feathermen!"

"Sumaru City? Huh, I've never heard of that place before." Ann commented, crossing her arms as she attempted to recall the name of the city.

"It's a seaside city further down south from here – I attended and graduated from the Seven Sisters High School, if that helps ring any bells." Tatsuya explained. Ann took a moment to think further, shaking her head as she couldn't recall anything. Tatsuya shrugged. "Shame – it's got quite a nice view of the ocean from the docks. Maybe I can take you there sometime."

"Ohh. Yeah, that'd be cool! I'm sure my boyfriend would be interested in checking it out too!" Ann exclaimed. She was met by silence by Tatsuya, who furrowed his eyes in disappointment for a moment, before excusing himself as he went further back into the wardrobe trailer to find his Red Hawk costume.

"Hmph… wouldn't I wish to be in your shoes, Takamaki-san." Mika scoffed under her breath. Ann was surprised by her reaction, and asked what was wrong. Mika took a moment to look over to Tatsuya as he was preoccupied with the outfits, then back to Ann. "How dense can you be? Don't you know about the kiss scene you share with Tatsuya-san!?"

"WHAAT- KISS SCENE! WHEN WAS THIS MENTIONED!?" Ann hollered loudly into the wardrobe trailer, making it feel like an earthquake had hit it as it vibrated. She turned over to Yukari and gave her a look of despair. "I-I don't remember reading any kiss scene in the script we went over! Takeba-senpai, explain, NOW!"

"Heheh.. sorry but I legitimately forgot to mention that to you last week when the producers did a couple last minute rewrites of the script." Yukari scratched the back of her head in an embarrassed manner as she attempted to smile in the awkward situation. "So the whole gist is that the producers began playing around with the idea of the villain and the main leader establishing a relationship in high school, which would create more conflict as they fought against each other. In the end, you two fall in love as Tatsuya's character can relate his passive nature to  _your_  character's loneliness in both their personal and school lives.. Apparently this kind of love-hate drama is really popular right now in the entertainment industry.."

"Uhh… I.. kinda get it, but why didn't they inform me earlier!?" Ann squealed in distress, crouching down as she tried to compose herself. She'd have to actually  _kiss_ another guy? For Ann, she felt that kisses were of sacred gestures restricted to the one and only special person in your life. She couldn't imagine herself kissing a guy like Tatsuya - who she literally just met five minutes ago. Ann covered her face as she groaned in frustration. "Sorry.. I just feel really uncomfortable about this situation right now, Takeba-senpai."

"Don't worry, I understand your hesitation." Tatsuya commented as he carried his Red Hawk outfit over his shoulder, making his way to the exit to change elsewhere. He looked down to the ground in disappointment. "I know that this is your first acting role, but I thought you'd be more professional, Takamaki-san. This is only a job after all, right? Regardless, I apologize if my personality or appearance is making it difficult for you to commit to the role.."

Tatsuya left the wardrobe, carefully shutting the door on his way out, leaving the three girls in silence.

"Ugh… Come on, Takamaki-san, look what you did to Tatsuya-san! You're gonna let  _one_ kiss scene get the best of you in this job? Real actors do it all the time!" Mika complained, unamused of Ann's hesitation. Mika crossed her arms and stomped on the floor. "Hmph.. You wouldn't want your boyfriend's efforts of service on helping you get this part go to waste, hmm?"

"I'm really sorry about surprising you like this, Takamaki-san." Yukari apologized, crouching down to Ann as she attempted to console her. "But the producers have finalized the scripts. They  _will_  be expecting you to commit and build chemistry with Tatsuya so the performances itself will be of top quality."

"No.. I should be the one saying sorry. Tatsuya is right. This is still a job we all need to commit. And as actors, we need to learn how to adapt to tough situations." Ann explained, slowly getting up. She couldn't sulk at the unfortunate events she was in. She really wanted to go all out in this acting role and use this as an opportunity to continually strengthen her heart and be an inspiration for others who'd watch this tv movie. "I'll talk to Tatsuya later and attempt to clear things up with him."

"That's great to hear, Ann. You're already showing how tough of a woman you are!" Yukari exclaimed as she patted Ann's shoulder. Mika simply nodded to Ann, before exiting the wardrobe trailer to complete her make-up elsewhere.

 _Ohh noo… Lady Ann is in a tough spot.. But she's managing to remain strong in this unexpected situation.._ Morgana pondered as he watched both Ann and Yukari talk before leaving the trailer to begin filming their scenes. Morgana had a worried look on his face as he considered what Ren would think about this issue regarding Ann and Tatsuya.

_Lady Ann will eventually need to kiss another boy… Ren needs to know… But how will I tell him?_

_._

_.._

…

_**To be continued!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yup - it's Tatsuya Suou from Persona 2! I figured to do something completely different with his character in this story, but still basing his attitude / background off from his respective game. I haven't played Persona 2 personally, but I was intrigued and wanted to incorporate more Persona series characters into this story. Tatsuya will be tied closely to the relationship between Ren and Ann - so stay tuned!
> 
> More interactions will follow between Morgana and the twins as revelations about how the Spirit Palace connects with Ren and Ann's relationship. It's a slow-build, but hopefully what I have planned will pay off for you readers!
> 
> There's only 1 more week until ShuAnn week begins! Hope y'all are ready for some sweet Shuan ficts to bless the internet! And if you haven't read it yet, I've posted another Shuann One-shot called "Reawakening of the Soul" on my profile! Go check it out!
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Hope y'all have a blessed week! Bye for now!
> 
> -Azurixx
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	10. Comparison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren's parent's put further pressure towards Ann. She and Tatsuya grow closer; which eventually leads to an unfaithful action."

 

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 10: COMPARISON**

* * *

 _**\- JULY -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Horikawa Senior High School  
Afternoon** _

* * *

Sunset began to envelope the city of Kyoto as the Featherman film crew wrapped up production on their first day. The cameramen packed up their equipment as they stored it into their trailers, keeping the vehicles parked as they would resume filming the next day. The director congratulated everyone on their first day of production as they proclaimed their filming schedule went along very smoothly.

"Amazing job, everyone! I'm  _really_  enjoying the chemistry you all have while filming! This is definitely going to be an exciting couple weeks of production." Yukari exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up to the main group of actors, consisting of the next generation of Phoenix Ranger Featherman including Mika and Tatsuya, along with Ann still in her Panther outfit.

"Tatsuya-san! You were  _soo_ cool in your action scenes!" Mika complimented as she grabbed his arm and clung onto him in admiration. Tatsuya simply nodded in acknowledgement, returning the same compliments in a less enthusiastic tone. Mika blushed as she playfully slapped his shoulder. "Ohh, you are just  _too_ kind, Tatsuya! Uhm.. I was wondering if you wanted to grab some dinner if you aren't too busy?"

"Sorry.. I need to rest. We have a lot more work to do tomorrow, so I suggest you do the same, Mika-chan." Tatsuya commented, gently escaping Mika's grasp as he went ahead to his trailer to change. Mika simply sighed as she sulked down and headed over to her own trailer. Ann noted Mika's defeated expression and attempted to cheer her up.

"Ohh, Mika-san. No need to feel down on the first day. You'll have the next couple weeks to get closer to Tatsuya-san. I'm sure he'll lower his guard around you later on!" Ann comforted Mika.

"Hmph! Easy for you to say! We've only filmed a couple scenes and you've  _already_ established a good bond with Tatsuya-san!" Mika complained as they arrived to her trailer. She raised an eyebrow to Ann. "Don't you already have a boyfriend, Takamaki-san? It's a bit suspicious that you're suddenly hitting it off with Tatsuya-san. Hmph.. Loyalty must still be a new concept to you.."

"Hey! I  _am_ loyal to Ren-kun!" Ann defended herself. She let out a sigh. "I've just been taking Tatsuya-san's advice this morning to heart. It is our job to commit all out in our given roles, right?"

"Hmph! I still hate it though. I just wish he'd look at me the way I catch him looking at you, Takamaki-san." Mika complained, much to Ann's confusion. Mika stomped angrily on the ground. "Don't be naive! Every time we go on break or finish a scene, I always see Tatsuya-san staring at you. It's like your're a magnet to his eyes when it should be  _me_ he's looking at!"

"Ohh.. I didn't even realize he was looking at me.." Ann twirled around her pigtails with her hands. She shrugged. "Sorry, but it's not like I'm even looking back at him anyway to notice. Maybe he was trying to look at you, Mika-san?"

"Erggh! I would know if someone was staring back at me, Takamaki-san! Why can't you learn to sympathize better? " Mika cross her arms in irritation before entering her trailer to change. Gaaah! I don't want to talk about it anymore! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Ann was met with bewilderment as Mika slammed the door in frustration. Mika was clearly going through a mix of emotions about the whole situation with Tatsuya, and whatever Ann said in an attempt to comfort her resulted in further retaliation. Giving up for the day, Ann went to her trailer and decided to change quickly, pondering on what ways she could help Mika with her feelings for Tatsuya.

_Ugh.. my brain is drained from all the acting we did today.. May I'll just pray for Mika's sake.._

Changing back into her casual attire, Ann exited her trailer and greeted some of the crew members farewell for the day. Many of them complimented Ann's acting abilities for her first time and were impressed by her motivation and commitment to her role as the film's super-villain. Ann smiled at their kind words. Reminding herself of the trouble that Ren endured to help her get this role, she wanted to make sure she put all her efforts into the role.

As Ann made her way to the entrance of Horikawa High School, she passed alongside Tatsuya's trailer as he came out sporting his biker gear. Ann waved to him and began a conversation as he joined her. "Oh, hey, Tatsuya-san! Nice job with acting today! You totally killed it as Red Hawk."

"Likewise to you as well, Takamaki-san." Tatsuya greeted, joining her as they made their way to the school's entrance. Ann took note of the more relaxed mannerism Tatsuya gave off at the moment, which were much different to the stoic and serious attitude he gave off earlier in the day and through his character as Red Hawk. She noted the biker helmet he carried under his arm. "That helmet.. do you happen to ride a motorcycle or anything?"

"Yeah.. I have a customized bike that I ride on wherever I go. I used to be a mechanic and worked at an auto shop back in Sumaru City." Tatsuya opened up.

"You were a mechanic?" Ann spoke in surprise as Tatsuya nodded back to her. She took a moment to analyze Tatsuya in an attempt to figure him out. "No offence, but how did you suddenly go from a speciality that involves a lot of grime and oil to an acting career?"

"It wasn't planned.. To be honest, I've been interested in pursuing a career in police work like my older brother." Tatsuya began to explain. Ann gasped in interest, much to his delight. He went on further to talk about his predicament. "The police academy I've been attempting to enroll in is very competitive. I've been put on a waitlist for the time being. I figured until then, I might as well try something new before I get engrossed into years of school work."

"So you decided to become an actor huh?" Ann thought for a moment, then chuckled as Tatsuya gave her a weird look by her reaction. "Sorry.. It's just that those two careers are vastly different from each other. A mechanic pursuing police work while pursuing acting on the side? It's a bit surreal.. But I like the uniqueness from it!"

"Does it make it weirder that I did some modeling on the side?" Tatsuya asked. Ann responded positively as she related to him with her modeling endeavors. Tatsuya felt a smile grow on his face as they began to share their modeling experiences. "It felt weird for me, to be honest Ann. Apparently someone from a modeling agency noticed me as I was strolling through Sumaru City. That person was actually Mika-san. She kept on prying to me about not wasting my ' _smoking-ho_ t' looks, It was through my part-time modeling that I was eventually recommended to this role for the Featherman movie."

"Whoah! Now that makes a whole lot of sense." Ann commented, amazed by Tatsuya's journey to getting this role. At first glance, Ann assumed that he was the passive, brooding type. But the more she got to know, the cooler he seemed to be. "Do you happen to have any friends back in Sumaru City?"

Tatsuya suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked down to the ground. Ann noticed his sudden change in behaviour, sensing discomfort from the boy.

"Tatsuya-san? Uhm.. sorry.. Did I happen to push too far?"

"No, Takamaki-san.. It's not you. Uhm.." Tatsuya gripped his fist with his free hand, attempting to hide the "I.. Well, it's complicated.. Let's just say.. the friends I used to know have forgotten me. It's sort of why I wanted to start anew with this job.. To meet new people."

"I didn't know that.. I'm really sorry to hear." Ann walked up to Tatsuya as he continued staring downwards. Ann sighed. "Listen, Tatsuya-san… sorry if I seemed like a jerk early this morning. I didn't mean to push you away just because I didn't wanna do the.. Err..  _kiss_ scene they put in our script. The last thing I wanted to do was make you feel unwanted again - if that's what happened to your last group of friends."

"It's okay… I guess the way I hold onto this burden is what has been preventing me from establishing any meaningful bonds recently." Tatsuya sighed. He looked back to Ann. "I've known Mika for a while already, but I feel like I'm already establishing a stronger bond with you Takamaki-san, even if we've only talked for a little bit."

"Uhmm.. yeah that's great and all.." Ann began, taking a small step back from Tatsuya. She wondered if she was stepping too far into this bond that she only wanted to establish with pure intentions. "But.. wouldn't you want to grow your bond with Mika-chan more? She is the reason you've been given this opportunity in the first place after all. Don't you think you owe her that at least?"

"You're right.. It would only be fair to her, but I just feel that my heart isn't  _strong_  enough to do that alone just yet," Tatsuya bit his lower lip as he went into a deep thought. He looked back to Ann who awaited for a further response from him. "Takamaki-san.. I would appreciate it if you could help me in the process. To help understand how to create a strong bond again with someone. Is that okay with you?"

Ann took a moment to think about Tatsuya's proposal. She admitted to herself that he was going a bit strong on this type of request, as they literally only worked and got to know each other for one day. But gazing back into Tatsuya's eyes, Ann immediately sensed a yearning for affection that was currently non-existent in the boy's life. Her strong desire to help strengthen other's hearts in the actions was what Tatsuya sought in Ann, and if she truly believed in her mission, then she couldn't reject his plea for help.

"..Alright. I'll help you to relearn how to bond with others!" Ann pumped her fist in the air. She held out a hand towards Tatsuya. "I'll be your mentor to help out on your journey with strengthening your heart, Tatsuya-san!"

Tatsuya smiled and grabbed Ann's hand, grasping it firmly into his as they shook. "Thank you, Takamaki-san.. I cannot wait to spend more time with you and learn how to build bonds from such a sweet and kind person like you-"

"Ann?" a voice suddenly broke into their conversation. Both Ann and Tatsuya turned around to the gates of Horikawa School to find Ren standing there. He slowly walked up to them, noting the two holding hands as he took a glance at Tatsuya before turning towards Ann. "Hey, uhm.. I was just waiting until you were done filming."

Morgana peeked out from Ren's bag, finding them face-to-face with Ann and Tatsuya. He growled and gave a scowl look towards Tatsuya.

_Hmmph.. This guys thinks just because he's above-average in the looks department, that he can suddenly talk to Lady Ann and be all buddy-buddy with her.. Accept it, fool, you're not worth her presence!_

"Oh, yeah, sorry to keep you waiting, babe!" Ann immediately let go of Tatsuya's hands and walked over towards Ren to introduce the boys to each other. "Ren, I'd like for you to meet Tatsuya Suou! He's playing as Red Hawk, the main character of the movie. Isn't that super cool?"

"Nice to meet you. The boyfriend, perhaps?" Tatsuya greeted, raising an eyebrow as Ren simply nodded to him. He turned over to Ann, then back to Ren as he offered him a handshake. "I believe your name is Ren Amamiya, right? Ann's mentioned you a lot to everyone on set between filming. She must mean a lot to you in her life."

"Just as she is to mine, Tatsuya-san. " Ren firmly stated, returning the handshake only for it to be short. The two boys stared at each other for a moment in silence, before Tatsuya let out a small cough as he excused himself.

"Well, I must be off. It's a pleasure to meet both of you." Tatsuya bid them farewell. He turned over to Ann once more as he got on his motorcycle. "Takamaki-san, take care of yourself. I'll be looking forward to spending more time with you."

Ren and Ann watched as Tatsuya put on his helmet, starting up his motorcycle as he revved up the engine. Tatsuya drove out of the high school grounds at an exceedingly fast speed down the streets of Kyoto.

"So.. How was filming?" Ren asked, turning over to Ann. He noticed that she was still staring down the road where Tatsuya had driven down, currently lost in thought. Ren went up to her side and grasped Ann's hand into his while he rubbed them to get her attention. "Hey.. Takamaki-san?"

"Ohh.. sorry, my mind is all over the place right now. Just really exhausted from all the action scenes we managed to do today, heheh." Ann said, following up with a small yawn. She rested her head onto Ren's shoulders. "Ughh… I am  _starving.._ Your parents said they were making dinner tonight, right? Wanna head straight home? I could definitely use the rest before we eat."

"Yeah.. for sure." Ren replied, leading both of them back to his house. As Ann continued to rest her head onto his shoulders, Ren looked back behind down the road which Tatsuya took, unable to stop thinking about who the boy was and what his intentions were with Ann. Morgana noted Ren's thought process and sympathized with him.

 _Oh boy… Hold it together Ren, you don't wanna assume anything just yet.._ Morgana thought to himself. He hadn't told Ren about Ann's kiss scene that would be coming up with her co-star just yet, feeling that he had no right to tell it himself. Morgana looked down to his Spirit Amulet, sensing uneasiness beginning to settle into Ren and Ann's bond.  _Ugh.. I'm not sensing a good vibe with that Tatsuya dude either.. He better not mess up anything with them.._

* * *

 _**\- JULY -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Amamiya Residence  
Evening** _

* * *

Night fell upon Kyoto as the Amamiya residence partook in their dinner. Mrs. Amamiya cooked a delicious meal consisting of a simple fried rice recipe with various ingredients including, eggs, ham and green onions – accompanied by steamed vegetables on the side and teriyaki salmon, much to the delight of Morgana. After a prayer of grace, the Amamiya family, including Ann, indulged in the home-cooked dinner as they chatted about their day.

"Your cooking for tonight looks really delicious, Mrs. Amamiya." Ann complimented as she began eating. The four of them each took one side of the dining table in the kitchen, with Ann sitting across from Mrs. Amamiya, whilst Ren sat across from his father.

"Why thank you, Takamaki-san." Mrs. Amamiya replied. She began having conversation with Ann about her day. "So how was filming for your first day, dear?"

"It went great!" Ann replied cheerfully. She began to talk about everything she had done on set at Horikawa that day - including the costume and make-up experience, hanging out with the crew members and actors, and the excitement of running through a couple action scenes. "Ugh.. I'll admit though, it got pretty hot in the latex suit I was wearing the entire day.. It felt like I was in an oven the entire time, heheh."

 _Huh..? Out of all the things you mention, it had to be that, Lady Ann?_ Morgana gave a weird expression, then quickly shrugged it off as he resumed eating his plate of teriyaki salmon underneath the table.

"Latex suit? That seems uncomfortable.. And you're fine with this type of work?" Mr. Amamiya asked. Ann nodded, much to his surprise. "Hmm, well I would be a little concerned if I had a daughter who allowed herself to wear such a.. questionable outfit.."

"Ohh.. it's okay, I'm used to wearing those types of clothes whenever I do photoshoots for modeling.." Ann explained. It was too late before she realized what she had just said as both Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya gave her a weird look as they stared at each other. Ren felt himself cringe as he attempted to shrink into his seat from the second-hand embarrassment. Ann yelped and dropped her utensils in an attempt to recover from what she said. "I mean, I don't always wear tight-fitting latex! I meant clothes that were more unique in style, ones that you don't always see being worn.. You know..uhm.. Err.. I'll just stop talking now.."

"Uhm… I see.. And exactly what made you interested in pursuing acting, Takamaki-san?" Mr. Amamiya asked, coughing as he attempted to redirect the conversation. "You know, I've always attempted to understand the intentions for those investing themselves in both modeling and acting due to the low job security and competitiveness. Wouldn't it have been better to pursue a career with stronger benefits, such as what Makoto is doing with police work, or Haru with her dedication to building her own coffee business?"

"Well, I guess so.. But.. modeling has always been something I'm good at.." Ann attempted to explain. She couldn't find an argument against Mr. Amamiya's statement and began to ponder at his words. "To be honest.. I'm not the strongest in academics, except maybe for English.. Modeling and acting are really the only things I've been interested in."

"I see… If only you could have focused more on your studies.. I'm sure you could have chosen a more successful career, Takamaki-san." Mr. Amamiya replied, much to Ann's surprise as she was taken aback by his bold statement.

"Honey, there's no need to be so judgmental towards Takamaki-san's job. From what Ren has told me, she's been doing a fabulous job with her modeling and has worked really hard to obtain this current acting role she's in now." Mrs. Amamiya defended. She turned over to Ann and gave her a reassuring nod. "It's okay, Takamaki-san. I'm sure you do your best with the offers given to you."

"Heheh.. yeah.. my best.." Ann gave a half-attempted smile as she began to look down at her plate of food. As much as she appreciated Mrs. Amamiya's supportive comments, Ann couldn't help but be bothered by their critiques on her work. As the group finished dinner, Ann and Ren offered to wash the dishes as Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya rested while Morgana sat down atop the counter as he listened to their conversation.

"Hey Ren, your parents seem really.. for lack of a better term,  _curious_  about my career choice," Ann brought up. She mainly did the washing whilst Ren dried off the given plates as he placed them into the rack. "Do they approve of my job, Ren-kun? Especially with your father, since he's always asking me about why I even do modeling at all. And he doesn't seem all too approving of my decision to act either."

"They're just very conservative – their upbringing from their own parents always focused on studying every day in order to gain a lucrative career. It's how my father was able to become a master in architecture, while my mother now specializes in teaching literature arts at the university." Ren explained. "My mother is fortunately open-minded to these topics, but I guess my father is a little more reserved and stuck onto that old-school ideology of gaining a stable career. The more  _creative_ and  _artistic_ jobs like modeling, acting, even painting, like what Yusuke does, still challenges his way of thinking of what careers are deemed successful.. if that makes any sense."

"But isn't architecture, like, also a form of creative art, but with buildings?" Ann challenged.

"Yeah.. but it also involves lots of understanding in technology, humanity and sciences. As well as lots of mathematics." Ren clarified.

"Ohh.. I see.. But haven't you noticed that they are always bringing up Makoto or Haru around me.. It's like, deep down, they're hinting that I'm not as good enough as them. And they've never bothered taking into consideration on how I feel about this." Ann told him, giving him the last plate to dry as she leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms. "Like.. what's the point of comparing  _my_ modeling career to Makoto's goal on becoming a police commissioner, or Haru's business into coffee shops?"

Ren sighed as he began wringing the towel used to dry off the dishes and hung it near the kitchen counter. Looking around to ensure that his parents weren't nearby, Ren went up to Ann and embraced her around the waist. "Why does it matter what my parents think? I chose you to be my girlfriend just by the way you are. You're kind, always thinking about others and have that strong determination to do what's right."

"Then why haven't you told them that I'm your girlfriend yet, Ren?" Ann questioned, giving him a look of wonder as she tried to pry an answer out. "Babe.. you can say all these sweet things to my face, but without action, it's not going to mean much at all.."

Ren lowered his head. Ann was right. If he was truly proud of his girlfriend, he wouldn't be afraid to share his relationship to his parents. But still, Ren knew that they would question his choice on dating Ann. To their minds at the moment, she still didn't qualify up to their standards on who Ren should date. "I will tell them about you eventually, I promised you that."

"I know.. You've been telling the same thing to me for the past couple months now.. And the more you keep repeating that, the less I believe it." Ann confessed. Ren felt his heart sting at her words. Ann's eyes widened as she was surprised at what she just said and quickly apologized. "Sorry.. I didn't mean it like that.. I think I'm just exhausted for today.."

"Yeah.. I understand.."" Ren stated. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment, before Ann slowly unwrapped Ren's arms around her.

"I think I'm going to wash up and get some rest. I've got a busy schedule for tomorrow anyway.." Ann explained. Ren simply nodded as she excused herself, making her way to the guest bedroom downstairs to prepare her belongings for tomorrow. Ren was left behind in the kitchen, sighing in frustration over the predicament he'd put himself into.

 _Dang.. Ren's in a hard spot.. First he was concerned about Tatsuya-san earlier, and now he has to worry about Ann's problem with his parent's judgement of her.. What are you going to do, Ren?_ Morgana thought to himself, watching as Ren paced back and forth slowly in the kitchen. Morgana decided to intervene.

"Hey Ren, it's been a long day for you.. Why don't we head on over and go to sleep?" Morgana suggested. Ren turned over to him and nodded.

"You know, I wouldn't think I'd be happy to hear those words.. Come on, let's go upstairs and get some rest."

* * *

_**…** _

* * *

The week continued with the same routine of Ren dropping off Ann to her filming locations with the Featherman crew, Tatsuya growing closer with Ann, Mika expressing her jealousy and Yukari being optimistic to the group of new actors while oblivious to the growing stress that was encapsulating all of them from the work. And every night, Ren's parents would go over the same discussion with Ann, questioning about her choice in modeling and acting and making the obvious comparisons of her to Makoto, Haru and even Futaba at times.

Ren attempted to comfort Ann constantly, but eventually she had gotten tired of the routine. Morgana noted the stress growing between the two. Ann was having trouble with focusing on her acting, while Ren's attempts on comforting her beginning to lose its effect. As much as Ann attempted to explain her motivation about her work to Ren's parents in order to impress them, they would always find a way to spin it around and compare her to Ren's other friends. Eventually, the stress began to overwhelm Ann to the point where she requested a moment to talk privately to Ren outside on their front porch.

"Babe.. The others at my work noticed that I'm starting to lose focus.. It even came to the point where the director had to redo about ten takes for a simple scene I was in because I was distracted at the time," Ann explained. Ren listened intently to her reason. She sighed. "I..I think I'm going to have dinner outside by myself from now on to relieve some stress – if that's okay with you?"

Morgana's eyes widened at Ann's request, listening to their conversation from above on the balcony of Ren's bedroom.  _Lady Ann.. You don't want to spend any more time with the Amamiya's at dinner? But… why?_

"Can you explain to me why?" Ren requested, giving Ann a concerned look.

"I don't know why Ren, but whenever I'm at work, the words of your parents are always in the back of my mind. The way they always seem to compare me with the others during dinner.. I know I shouldn't let that bother me, but.. it just does." Ann explained, feeling guilty for having to bring Ren's parents into the equation. "I just need to focus on my work at the moment.. And I don't want your efforts in helping me get this role go to waste if I can't do my best.. Do you understand where I'm getting at?"

Ren thought about her words for a moment, reflecting upon how Ann was feeling right now. Maybe the words of his parents – especially his father, meant a lot more to Ann than he had originally thought. All she yearned for was their approval, but because of his hesitation to explain the truth, it began to create a sense of distress into Ann's mind. But Ren was stuck in a tough place – it was either to tell his parents about Ann and face possible repercussions, or to keep quiet about their relationship and endure the continual judgement of his parents towards Ann.

"No worries.. I understand. Focus on your acting first." Ren assured her. "I'll always be here to support you, Ann."

 _Ann doesn't feel appreciated by Ren's parents.. And all she really wanted was their approval from the work she's done…_ Morgana pondered once more.  _I hate to think about it like this… but maybe having her stay with the Amamiya's wasn't such the best idea.._

* * *

_**...** _

* * *

A full week of filming finally finished, leaving the Featherman crew with half the television movie completed. The crew were done with production at Horikawa High School and began filming in various other places around Kyoto, eventually leading them into the open fields outside the city where a majority of the action scenes occurred between the Phoenix Ranger Feathermen team and the enemy. The team completed their scenes for the day and began to pack up their trailers for their commute back into the city.

"Another job well done to the team! Go Phoenix Ranger Feathermen Victory!" Yukari exclaimed, standing triumphantly as she pointed her Pink Argus bow and arrow prop into the air, congratulating everyone on a hard day of work. "We're almost at the endgame, everyone! Keep up the pace and I'll ensure our wrap-up party will be super exciting!"

"A wrap-up party? Ohhhh my goossh! Doesn't that sound fun, Tatsuya-san?" Mika exclaimed, glancing over to Tatsuya standing beside her.

"Yeah.. sure." Tatsuya monotonously answered while having his attention directed back to Ann, who was already heading over to her trailer to change. He immediately excused himself from Mika as he pursued Ann and called out to her. "Hey, Takamaki-san, just wanted to say good job again, as usual."

"Ohh… uhm.. thanks." Ann replied, although there wasn't much energy into her delivery. Part of it was because she had used a majority of it into her acting, whilst the other part was because her mind still focused on the judgement of Ren's parents. Even when she decided to have dinner by herself in the city, Ann realized that those thoughts expanded and consumed her when she was alone. She didn't want to bother Ren with it, feeling a sense of guilt whenever she brought it up to him.

"Uhm… is your boyfriend going to pick you up today?" Tatsuya asked. Ann shook her head, explaining that Ren was currently working at Okumaru's Cafe until closing, meaning that she would have to take the train back by herself. Realizing this, Tatsuya jumped on the opportunity. "I can give you a ride home, if that's fine with you?"

"Ohh.. uh, thanks but, I'm good.." Ann attempted to assure Tatsuya, but her actions spoke otherwise when she lowered her head and rubbed the side of her arm. To be honest, Ann didn't really want to spend time alone by herself once again. And with Ren busy at work, she couldn't request him to pick her up if she had wanted to.

"Takamaki-san.. is something bothering you?" Tatsuya asked, raising a brow at her. He could easily notice the bothered look on both her face and from her stance. "Ann.. You can talk to me if you'd like.. Don't worry, I have no intentions whatsoever.. I just want to help out a fellow co-worker, and friend – but only if needed."

"Actually.. I'll take you up on that offer.. But just for today, okay?" Ann spoke without thought. Tatsuya nodded and told her to meet up with him at his motorcycle once they changed from their outfits. Watching Tatsuya head over to his trailer, Ann began to wonder if she had made the right decision in accepting his offer.

_It's just two co-workers going out to for a chat.. right? No harm in that at all.._

* * *

_**\- JULY -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Kyo Suzaku Sushi Ichiba Restaurant  
Evening** _

* * *

The skies of Kyoto darkened as night soon approached. Within one of the central wards in Kyoto, known as  _Shimogyo_ , resided one of the fancier sushi restaurants called  _Kyo Suzaku Sushi Ichiba_. The establishment was built as a sleek-white building with black outlining. The restaurant itself consisted of a conveyor belt where customers took plates of sushi pieces from it as it passed around the numerous booths.

 _Isn't this the place where Ren's parents usually order their sushi?_ Ann thought, gazing over to the moving sushi that passed her on the conveyor belt. Ann shook her head to herself when she thought of Ren's parents. Their judgemental words began to crowd her mind once more.  _Come on, Ann.. It seems like whatever you do, it always reverts back to Ren's parents.. You're stronger than that._

"Hey.. Don't be shy. Help yourself to as much sushi as you'd like." Tatsuya assured Ann as she snapped out of her thoughts. He sat across from her in their booth and began grabbing plates of sushi that interested him. "The whole bill will be on me, so grab as much sushi to your heart's content, Takamaki-san."

"Ohh.. Uhm, it's okay, I can pay for my own food." Ann assured him, yet Tatsuya insisted that he'd pay. Eventually, Ann allowed him as she didn't have much energy left over to argue back. She looked over to the desserts that passed by as she noted the expensive price of the chocolate-filled pancakes, simply known as Dorayakis.  _Oooh.., yeah that's a lot for one dorayaki.. Maybe it'll be fine if Tatsuya-san pays for tonight.._

Both Ann and Tatsuya indulged in their various sushi plates they grabbed from the conveyor belt, talking about the progress of their filming. Their discussion eventually led to their personal lives. For the majority of their conversation, Tatsuya talked while Ann listened as she silently enjoyed her sushi, occasionally nodding to her co-worker's comments. At the moment, this night with Tatsuya was a nice distraction from the lonesome nights she recently got used to that week.

Eventually, the two finished their dinner and left the restaurant. Tatsuya suggested that they'd go for a short stroll down to the nearby park in order to walk off their sushi dinner. Ann hesitantly agreed. As they walked through the park, the duo sat down among one of the park benches, taking a moment to stare up in the starry sky.

"Soo.. Takamaki-san.. Anything on your mind lately that you want to discuss?" Tatsuya insisted, looking over to Ann on the bench as he noticed she was silently staring off into space. "I've noticed that something has been bothering you the past couple days at work.. Is it possible boyfriend issues?"

"Uhmm.. Well, it's complicated.." Ann began as she sighed while leaning back on the bench. For a moment, she wondered how Tatsuya figured out that she had a lot on her mind. Did he always have his eyes on her the entire time they were filming? But right now, Ann thought that this was a good opportunity to release her problems to someone willing to listen. "I just wonder if I'm being a bit selfish on my feelings.. You see, Ren's parents don't necessarily approve of my career.."

"With modeling? Acting? Or both?" Tatsuya asked, with Ann nodding to the latter option. "And what exactly do they see that's wrong with those jobs?"

"It's like they don't see my work as a  _real_ job.. That what I do isn't stable or conservative enough when compared with other career paths that our friends are pursuing." Ann attempted to explain, only for the stress of the subject to already give her a small headache as she began rubbing the temporal areas at the side of her head. "I just wish that they could see my job in a different perspective and understand that the same passion and hard work is  _still_ required. That the jobs I do are not as superficial as they look. I'm simply not just posing to look good in pictures or playing pretend in costumes, you know what I mean?"

"I  _totally_ get you, Takamaki-san." Tatsuya listened intently as Ann continued to rant about her conflicted feelings towards Ren's parents opinions about her. She continued talking about the way she kept getting compared to Makoto or Haru and how they encouraged Ren to instead look to them as inspiration, all while Ann could only listen and take in their words without being able to defend herself.

Tatsuya raised an eyebrow to Ann as he rubbed his chin. "From what you're telling me, it seems that your  _boyfriend_ isn't really doing much to fix the issue himself. It seems that he'd rather play it safe and hide his relationship from his parents.. It's not fair to you, Takamaki-san."

"I mean.. It's not that he  _wants_ to keep it a secret. I understand where he's coming from, but I just wish that he'd begin acting upon it instead of reassuring me all the time without result." Ann leaned back in her seat as she lowered her head. For whatever reason, Ann began to grow emotional over the topic. Doubts began to rush into her mind. "It's like.. He hasn't completely considered what  _I_ have been feeling the whole time.. All I want is for him is to prove our relationship to his parents.."

"Ann, be truthful to yourself – Are you frustrated over Ren's parents.. Or Ren himself?" Tatsuya questioned, causing Ann to look up in bewilderment. Tatsuya began to explain. "Ann.. You need to figure out which one is the root cause of the situation.. You're frustrated that Ren's parents haven't shown approval of your job, yet Ren hasn't done anything to explain the situation to them, which could possibly change the outcome of your situation if he simply did."

Ann took a moment to think of Tatsuya's perspective on the situation. Who was the blame in this situation she was in? Ann had done everything she could to gain the approval of the Amamiya's, but nothing swayed in her favor yet. And she was getting tired of waiting. For months, Ren's parents kept comparing her to the others, and all Ann could do was simply be polite and keep her mouth shut until Ren could muster up the courage to explain it. But so far, nothing had changed from him yet.

 _Ren.. Why can't you say anything yet.. Is it because.. I'm not important enough to you?_ Ann allowed the thought to reside in her mind for a brief moment, before she realized what she was thinking and quickly shook it out. Tears began to well up in her eyes as Ann couldn't fathom the thought she conjured up.  _No.. why would I even think that?_

"Takamaki-san..?" Tatsuya attempted to call out to her. He noticed that Ann was lost in deep thought as her mouth began to quiver and tears began to well up in her eyes. Tatsuya slowly reached out and grabbed Ann's hand and began to rub it gently in an attempt to comfort her. "Hey.. It's all going to be okay.. You can let it all out to me."

"Tatsuya-san… Am I not worth fighting for..?" Ann suddenly brought up, sniffling through her tears as she began to doubt Ren's love for her. Tatsuya assured her that she was definitely someone who shouldn't be taken for granted. "It's just.. these past couple days between Ren and his parents.. I don't feel like I've been someone he's proud of sharing with them.."

"Ann.. For what it's worth,  _I_ wouldn't be afraid to tell my family about you.. I mean, hypothetically if you were my girlfriend.. You're worth bragging about, Takamaki-san." Tatsuya gently said. Suddenly, he scrunched up his sleeves around his hand as he used it to wipe away Ann's tears, before caressing her cheek.

Ann had no idea what was happening – but simply yearned for comfort regarding her conflicting emotions at this very moment - which were being attended to from Tatsuya's reassuring words. Out of nowhere, Tatsuya slowly leaned his head forward and planted a gentle kiss onto Ann's lips. For a moment, Ann lost herself into the affection, as her judgement was clouded from the chaos of emotions she was feeling. It took Ann a moment to realize what she had done as they both released from the kiss.

_Huh.. N-No… Wha-What did I just do…?_

"Tatsuya-san.. H-Hey, let go of my hand!" Ann demanded as she began to feel Tatsuya's grip tighten. "What the hell- Let go!"

"Takamaki-san, I just want to help you- OWWWW?!" Tatsuya suddenly yelped in pain. He quickly got up from the bench as he looked down, realizing that part of his ankle had been scratched by a pair of small claws. Fortunately it hadn't dug deep into his skin to cause any bleeding. Tatsuya looked down to see a black cat peek out from under the park bench. "What the heck- Where did this freakin' cat come from?!"

"Mweheheheh! Take that, pretty boy!" Morgana growled at Tatsuya as he jumped out from underneath the park bench. He turned over to Ann and meowed to her. "Lady Ann! Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Huh!? Morgana!?" Ann yelped in surprise. She noticed that Tatsuya inched closer to her. Without warning, she laid a hard slap onto the side of his cheek as Tatsuya stumbled onto the park bench in an attempt to keep his balance. Realizing what she had done, Ann immediately grabbed Morgana by the collar as she quickly booked it out of the park.

"Ughh- Takamaki-san! Wait- Gahhh.." Tatsuya yelled out to her. He began rubbing his cheek where Ann slapped him. Giving up, he took a moment to sit on the park bench and contemplated his actions. "Noo.. What have I done..?"

* * *

**_..._ **

* * *

"GAAHHH! Lady Ann! Let me down! You're choking me!" Morgana yelped as Ann continued running. He eventually fought against her grip and escaped, landing onto the ground as Ann slowed down ahead and stopped in her tracks. Morgana growled out to Ann. "Hey! Is that the thanks I get for saving you from that Tatsuya-san freak?"

"Sorry, Mona! I didn't mean to be so rough on you.." Ann apologized as she walked back to Morgana, before she began to grill at him on following her. "Hold on, how did you end up finding me? Were you spying on me the whole time?"

"Well.. yeah! I've been following you to your work and when you've been going out for dinner by yourself every night.." Morgana confessed in a defiant tone. "I just wanted to make sure you were safe, okay?"

Ann calmed down for a bit and realized Morgana's considerate gesture about her well-being. She crouched down to Morgana and gently petted him, expressing gratitude for his concern. The two had found themselves a couple blocks away from the park, currently within a quiet street with lamp posts illuminating the path. Ann decided to take a seat on a bench underneath one of the lamp posts as she lowered her head and allowed the weight of the entire situation to sink in.

"Lady Ann? Are you alright?" Morgana asked, slowly walking up to her. He noticed a couple tear drops fall from her face and landing near her feet. "Hey.. Talk to me.. I'm here for you, Ann."

"Morgana.. What did I just do?" Ann sobbed, unable to stop the flow of tears stream down her face as guilt and shame began to burden her mind. "I.. I let Tatsuya kiss me.. I just let him do it without thinking! What the  _hell_ is wrong with me, Morgana! How could I be so unfaithful to Ren and do something like that!?"

Morgana could sense the clear guilt that Ann expressed from her crying. He knew that Ann regretted the kiss she allowed Tatsuya to lay on her. Earlier, Morgana had been watching them from a distance in the park the entire time, only to realize he was too late to stop Tatsuya from kissing Ann. All Morgana could have done was scratch Tatsuya by the ankle.

Right now, Ann needed emotional support. Morgana decided to gently jump atop her lap and began to purr in an attempt to comfort her.

"Lady Ann, it's okay.. Don't feel guilty.. I  _know_ you are loyal to Ren and would  _never_  do this to hurt him on purpose.." Morgana gently spoke as Ann began to wipe her tears away, staring back down to Morgana in her lap. "I promise I won't tell Ren.. But you  _need_  to let Tatsuya know who your heart is loyal for. Otherwise, he'll keep on taking advantage of you and won't stop pursuing.."

Morgana continued to stare up to Ann as she took a moment to calm down from her sobbing, wiping away her tears as she nodded to Morgana. He could sense a heightened resolve from her.

_Ann's loyalty to Ren.. Temporarily tainted by an unfaithful act forced upon by Tatsuya .. I sense that Ann desires to atone for her actions.. Her heart is clearly still for Ren showcased by her guilt.. But first, we need to deal with Tatsuya._

As Morgana and Ann continued sitting upon the bench, one of the Spirit Amulet's stone momentarily glowed, before dimming back once again. Another attribute was slowly coming to realization for Morgana.

_**.** _

_**..** _

…

_**To be continued!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Only a couple more days until Shuann week begins! On July 1, I'll be debuting a new my Shuann submission - entitled "Captured Memories: A Shuann Week series", which will be updated with a new chapter every day until July 7! Please keep an eye out for it!
> 
> And a new milestone has been achieved for this story - we've reached double-digits with chapters! TEN chapters of Shuann content in one story! There's plenty more story to add regarding not only just Ren and Ann's relationship, but Morgana's journey and new Persona users coming into play!
> 
> Thanks to all who are still on this journey! Hope you have a blessed week!
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	11. Rivalita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ann confronts Tatsuya about their kiss, while Mika expresses a secret to her. A connection forms between Morgana and Yukari Takeba, when suddenly he must battle another Shadow threatening Ren and Ann's bond."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! After an eventful and successful Shuann week - I'm finally back to updating this story! Been posting lots of submissions for the specific week - including my fics "Captured Memories" and "Cries of the Healing Soul" - so if you haven't read them yet, go check it out!
> 
> Anyway, back to Morgana's journey as he continually protects Ren and Ann's relationship from both real-life issues and Persona powers! Lots of action, romance, drama and comedy to come every week, so stay tuned :)
> 
> Oh yes - if it feels like two chapters have been posted, it's because I accidentally left chapter 10 in its draft form when I left this story before Shuann week haha. Take the time to read the previous chapter if you can! 
> 
> Thanks again for everyone's interest and support! More Shuann to come - and I hope y'all have a good week!

 

 **P5: The Bond That Makes Us One**  
**Episode 11: RIVALITA**

* * *

  **\- AUGUST -**  
**Kyoto, Japan**  
_**Kyoto Train Station, Nozomi Line  
** _ **Afternoon**

* * *

Another week of production passed as the days moved into the beginning of August. The Feathermen team were almost done with filming as they began to wrap up the final scenes on the last day. Many of the shots required focused on the civilian lives of the Feathermen characters going on about their day in the closing shots of the film, so not much extensive work was required for preparations. At the moment, the film crew were setting up for the final moments between Ann and Tatsuya's character.

"Hey, Takamaki-san - how are you doing?" Yukari asked, walking over to Ann as she was sitting on one of the benches outside of the train station, awaiting further orders from the directors. Yukari sat down beside Ann and patted her on the shoulder. "You seem a little nervous.. Anything on your mind right now?"

"Uhm.. Yeah, actually. This scene we're about to do.. It's when my character kisses Tatsuya's farewell.." Ann sighed. Ever since the incident with Tatsuya last week on the unexpected kiss, Ann had decided to keep minimal communication with him on set, unless it was specified that they would be sharing a scene together. During breaks, Tatsuya attempted to call out to Ann numerous times to apologize, only for her to simply acknowledge him with a silent nod.

"I see.. It must be a little weird having to kiss someone who  _isn't_ your boyfriend, right?" Yukari stated. Ann simply rolled her eyes as Yukari's statement exemplified the awkward situation she was already in with Tatsuya. Yukari pumped her fist into the air as she remained positive. "You're almost there, Takamaki-san! Don't forget, we've got our wrap-up party later tonight with everybody! Oh, and you're more than welcome to invite Amamiya-san! He's supported you with this role from the very beginning – so it is the least I could do for him!"

"Thank you, Takeba-senpai." Ann replied, smiling as she received a quick side hug before Yukari went forward to converse with the other crew members. Ann appreciated the positive aura that Yukari always let off and wondered how she was able to maintain it from the stress of her own job as both a professional actor and model. Earlier that day, Yukari promised to keep in touch with Ann after their Feathermen production and wanted to continue giving support and advice for Ann's future modeling and acting jobs.

_I truly am grateful to have Yukari as my mentor.. She's amazing._

"Takamaki-san.." a voice called to her. Recognizing whose it was, Ann hesitated to turn to them. But she realized that she couldn't continue running away from the problem. Letting out a sigh, she looked over to Tatsuya standing a couple feet from her with his hands in his pockets and a sombre look on his face. Tatsuya spoke. "Hey.. You've got a minute?"

"Make it quick.." Ann warned. Tatsuya nodded, and cautiously kept his distance from Ann as he kept some space between them as he sat down on the bench she was on. Unaware to the both of them, Morgana was lurking within a potted shrubbery decorated near the train station as he kept a careful eye on Tatsuya.

 _This freak better not make another move on Lady Ann.. If he does, I'm throwing an All-Out attack on his pretty face with my claws.._ Morgana thought, keeping his attention fully on Tatsuya as he talked to Ann.

" _ **Ooooh! Are you on some kind of reconnaissance mission, Feline?"**_ Caroline's voice echoed into his mind once again.

" _ **It is wise of you, Mona-chan, to gain knowledge of their weakness. We must cover all bases to ensure we are equipped for all kinds of problems the enemy may throw at us."**_ Justine backed up her sister.

" _ **Will you guys shut up? I was really enjoying the silence for the last couple days until you two decided to come back again. Grrr.."**_ Morgana groaned. For a while now, he'd forgotten that the Velvet twins were able to communicate with him anytime they wanted, much to Morgana's annoyance. His ears perked up as an important detail came up between Tatsuya and Ann's conversation.  _ **"Ohh! Guys, zip your mouths. I wanna hear what they're talking about!"**_

"Have you told your boyfriend about.. You know.. What happened?" Tatsuya asked in concern. He let out a sighed relief when Ann shook her head.

"I was thinking about it for quite some time this week.. But another friend of my advised me that I shouldn't.." Ann explained, referring back to her conversation with Morgana the night Tatsuya kissed her. She was a bit surprised that Morgana offered a lot of words of wisdom to her that day. It was if Morgana had been learning about relationships himself. "This sort of drama isn't worth complicating so much in our own relationships.. With my own.. With our work.. And I'll admit, it was my fault for allowing myself to be so vulnerable at that time.. But as I reflected about it this past week, it's shown me that there is so much to learn about strengthening my own heart.. And that is to take a stand for myself."

"I see.. And how do you suppose you're going to do that?" Tatsuya asked in curiosity. He watched as Ann stood up from the station bench and turned to him.

"Tatsuya-san.. You're a great guy.. An amazing actor too.. But I've noticed that you've been a little  _too_ friendly with me the past couple weeks. And I know I said that I would help you strengthen  _your_ heart and learn how to bond with people.. But I should have established boundaries as well." Ann began to explain. "I have a boyfriend.. He's the  _only_ one my heart is loyal to at this very moment. And I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression these past few weeks we've worked together.. I just thought I'd lay out the ground rules. I  _still_ want to help you with your heart if you still need it, but only as a friend - nothing more."

Tatsuya leaned forward on the station bench, taking a moment to ponder on Ann's words. He sighed. "Takamaki-san.. You really are one of the kindest people I've met.. You being able to stand up by your ideals.. And to easily forgive me after what I did.. In my opinion, those examples already showcase the strong heart you already have. And your loyalty to your boyfriend is something I need to learn to respect."

 _Hmph… He's actually being very understanding.._ Morgana pondered as he and Ann continued listening to Tatsuya's words.  _Maybe.. He isn't so bad after all?_

"I feel that my heart still requires growth if I want to continue making bonds with others. And your guidance has helped me realize the first couple things I need to work on.. I have to thank you for that, Takamaki-san." Tatsuya further explained. He stood up and bowed down to Ann, much to her surprise. "I apologize again for being too strong on my feelings. I've learned that you cannot push your heart to someone who is already loyal to another's.. I promise not to push with my affections on you anymore.."

Ann smiled to Tatsuya and gave him a thumbs-up. "Great! Now since that's settled, why don't we finish up filming?"

"Ugh.. Just like that? I mean.. You realize that our next scene is going to be a  _kissing_ scene, right?" Tatsuya stepped back, unsure on how to react to Ann's sudden willingness to move on.

"Yeah, so? We've already established our boundaries already! And it's our job as actors to adapt and give it our all!" Ann exclaimed as she began making her way to where the production crew were setting up. She motioned Tatsuya to follow. "We've kinda had practice already, right? So this shouldn't take too long! Let's go!"

Morgana's jaw was left wide opened as he watched Ann and Tatsuya make their way to the crew to finish up filming. He began to shake his head as he tried to comprehend how Ann easily moved on from the problem.  _I think I get it.. Ann isn't afraid of Tatsuya anymore as she knows her heart will always be loyal to Ren.. And regardless of the kissing incident between her and Tatsuya, she also showcases her loyalty to his own need on learning and understands that these misunderstandings can happen.. Is this.. a true example of loyalty within a human relationships?_

As Morgana thought over the attribute, a stone on the Spirit Amulet glowed as its potential soon began to awaken..

* * *

**\- AUGUST -**  
**Kyoto, Japan**  
_**Sugar Hill Kyoto  
** _ **Evening**

* * *

Within the inner city of Kyoto was a unique restaurant that provided a mixture between traditional Japanese items and Italian-influenced fusion dishes. At the moment, Yukaria Takeba had booked off the entire restaurant for the night in order to to celebrate completion of principal production. All who were part of the team - including the actors, producers, camera crew - were welcome to join for the night of festivities.

 _Hmm.. What kind of smell is that? It's sooo different.._ Morgana stuck his head out of Ren's bag as he and Ann were walking through the night life of Kyoto as they neared the restaurant. Morgana hadn't realized that he was smelling the fresh aroma of carbonara and lasagna since he was used to the flavor of sushi and takoyaki.  _Oooohooohoo.. That's totally the mysterious taste of Italy waiting for us ahead! I wonder if they serve a lot of fish in their dishes.._

"Glad you could come with me, babe." Ann said as they approached Sugar Hill Kyoto. She had her head resting by Ren's shoulders as she embraced his arm. "Hey.. I'm sorry if I wasn't comfortable spending dinner with your family for the past few days. But now that filming is over, we finally get to spend the night together."

"I'll admit, I did miss you during those nights, but I understand." Ren replied. Even with Ann staying over at their home for the past two weeks, her presence felt non-existent as she was focusing on her job and opted to spend most of her dinner time outside as she went through her lines and took the moment to relax from her busy schedule. His parents had wondered where she had gone during those nights, but Ren assured them that she was working diligently by herself. "I know I keep saying this.. but I promise to let my parents know eventually.. They did express concern on where you've been. And they have been less critical about their comments about you recently, so there's at least  _some_ progress."

"I know.. You're just waiting for the right moment to tell them about us." Ann looked up to him and took a moment to stare at her boyfriend's eyes. "Hey Ren.. I  _am_ important to you, right? Like.. I know it's stupid, but sometimes I doubted my own worth from the fact that you're taking so long to admit our relationship to your parents.. I'm not rushing things, am I?"

"Of course you are important to me, Ann. And I believe we'll be able to get over this predicament. I have faith in our bond together, and I'm sure my parents will see that eventually." Ren assured her. Ann smiled as her lingering doubt was removed. "Come on, let's forget about that for now and enjoy the night. You deserve it after all the hard work you've done these past few weeks."

"Heheh.. For sure." Ann rested her head once more on Ren's shoulder. For a moment, peace had settled in her mind until she began to reflect back on the night that Tatsuya kissed her. She still hadn't told Ren about the incident, advised by Morgana as he made a point of not adding more pointless drama into the mix as she had already been stressing over from both work and the judgement of Ren's parents. But now that she was able to present boundaries with Tatsuya and production now complete, she could relax and move on.

"Hey there, cute couple!" Yukari greeted them from across the room as she waved. She gave a hug to both Ann and Ren as she got everyone's attention in the restaurant. "May we give a 'round of applause to Takamaki-san for doing an  _amazing_ job as our one and only villainous Panther! This was her very first acting role and she knocked it out of the park with her ferocious and strong heart!"

Everyone in the restaurant applauded for Ann as she was overwhelmed by the positive reception. Unsure of what to do, she turned over to Ren, who was also applauding as he gave her a wink. Ann smiled and did a quick bow out of courtesy. Everyone soon returned to their conversation as Ren and Ann took a seat in and began skimming over the menus.

"Fettuccine Alfredo? Ravioli? A whole menu of lasagnas? This is  _soo_ different from your typical Japanese restaurants, heheh." Ann giggled as she took delight in gazing over the whole variety of Italian dishes served alongside the traditional Japanese items. Ann felt her mouth water as she gazed over the dessert menu. "Oh my goodness! Babe, we  _need_ to try that Pineapple Semifreddo! There's  _soo_  much whipped cream on top of it!"

"I.. don't even know what half of these things are.." Ren commented as he struggled to read the Italian choices on the menu. Panzenella? Bruschetta? And what was this pasta called Con Pomodoro E Basilico? "I think I'll just stick with the sushi pizza.. It's the only thing I know from this menu."

"Is that carbonara pasta with  _sushi_  pieces decorated on top? I want it!" Morgana exclaimed, peeking out from Ren's lap to read the menu with him. Ren had to whisper for Morgana to keep his head down, otherwise they'd be kicked out for having a cat in the restaurant. Morgana scoffed. "Hmph! Fine, I'll stay underneath the table. Just don't forget to order me something!"

"Well, if it isn't Takamaki-san and her boyfriend.. It's a pleasure to see both of you tonight!" Mika suddenly spoke, approaching their table as she was accompanied by Tatsuya. Mika glanced over to Ren and offered a handshake. "My Amamiya-san, your  _girlfriend_  has been such an inspiration the past couple of days at work! Mind if we join you guys for dinner tonight?"

"Ohh.. uhm.." Ren hesitated, looking over to Ann who shrugged and nodded over to the others. Mika decided to take seat beside Ren, while Tatsuya sat next to Ann as both couples faced opposite to their respective partners. Ren glanced over to Tatsuya and nodded over to him. "Tatsuya-san, right? I heard you kissed Takamaki-san earlier.."

"HUH! N-No I didn't!" Tatsuya quickly defended himself. The others gave him a confused look, including Ann.

"Really? But Ann told me you guys had a kissing scene earlier with your characters?" Ren clarified. He smiled over to Tatsuya, who appeared to be worried. "Don't worry, I understand that its part of your roles."

"Oh.. OHHH.. that.. yes, of course. The kissing scene for  _our_ job.. That one.." Tatsuya coughed as he went over to drink his glass of water, peeking over to Ann who hid her face behind the menu as she giggled silently to herself. Tatsuya cleared his throat as he continued the conversation. "S-Speaking of Takamaki-san.. She's been a pleasure to work with.. Simply as cast members of course.. Nothing more! You are definitely blessed to have her in your life, Amamiya-san."

"You're  _such_ a lucky man, Amamiya-san! To be with such a  _loyal_ woman like Takamaki-san who wouldn't  _dare_ to do  _anything_ behind your back!" Mika expressed in an obnoxious tone, wrapping her hand around Ren's shoulder as she glanced over to his girlfriend. Ann did her best to hide her annoyed look from Mika's action, much to the other girl's pleasure at seeing her reaction. "So! Takamaki-san! What are your plans now that production is over?"

"Ohh.. Uhm, well, Ren and I were planning on reconnecting with our friends back in Tokyo. Apparently there is this music competition where the winners will get a chance to see Rise Kujikawa. We're hoping to enter and win, heheh." Ann explained. Ren nodded along with her as she continued. "Oh! And apparently Yukari and I are going to keep in contact in case other opportunities arise for me! Apparently the producers are interested in working with me on possible future projects! Isn't that exciting?"

"Hmph.. Sure." Mika answered in a monotonous tone as she began gazing around the restaurant, showcasing her disinterest, eventually changing topics. "How about you, Tatsuya-san? Any plans for the rest of the summer?"

"Hmm.. I'm thinking about heading back to Sumaru City.. I think I'll get back into doing auto-mechanics for the meantime while I wait for admission to the police academy." Tatsuya turned to Ann and smiled. "I've been thinking.. I need time to just relax and focus on myself for the meantime. Figure out what my heart really wants. A good friend of mine had helped me realize that.."

"That sounds nice. I hope the best comes out for you, Tatsuya-san." Ann replied, returning a smile back to him. Meanwhile, Mika leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms, disgusted by the natural chemistry Ann had with Tatsuya - even if it was only as friends.

"Hey there, friends! Wanna be in a quick selfie? You can be in it too, Amamiya-san!" Yukari exclaimed as she approached their table, holding her phone up to them. She dragged another chair beside them and sat down, raising her phone so they were all in the picture as she took the group selfie. Yukari turned towards Ann and excitedly grabbed her hand. "Oh! By the way, the director was hoping to talk to you later on. I think it's for another big project he's wanting to do! And he wants you to be a part of it!"

"Wha- Really?" Ann said in a surprised tone. She had only completed her first acting role and was already getting recommended for more projects. Ann couldn't believe her luck. "Uhm, Yeah, of course I'd be down!"

"Amamiya-san, you should have seen Takamaki-san on set! Her heart was on fire throughout the role!" Yukari exclaimed. She began to explain the entire experience watching Ann bring out the most in her supervillain role by being ferocious, strong-hearted and even seductive. "I can't spoil anything about the movie, but we're hoping to work with Takamaki-san in the near future! She's definitely got the chops to continue on and build an acting career!"

"Takeba-senpai.. Your words are too kind!" Ann replied, feeling herself blush in embarrassment. Ren and Tatsuya both agreed with Yukari, while Mika simply stared off into the distance, keeping her arms crossed as her mind wandered off to other things. Morgana noted Mika's posture from underneath the table and snickered.

_Hmph… seems like little miss pink argus princess is jealous of Lady Ann's success.. Sorry, Mika, but Ann's just naturally better than you!_

Eventually, the group ordered their food and began eating, complimenting on how succulent the Italian dishes were and how it provided a new and adventurous taste to their palettes. As the night continued, the group continued talking about their summer, their experience working on set and what else they had planned for the rest of the summer season. As the group finished their desserts, Mika requested to talk with Ann outside the restaurant.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Mika-chan?" Ann asked as the entered the peaceful night outside Sugar Hill Kyoto. She noticed that Mika was giving her an intimidating glare. "Hey.. Did I do something wrong? We were all just having a good time a moment ago.. What's up?"

"You little shit.. Don't you  _realize_  how hard I've been working to get to this position? The amount of people I needed to talk to, the phone calls I had to make, the time I wasted just to get this role!" Mika began ranting off, much to Ann's surprise. She clenched her hands as she began to pace back and forth. "And then, of course  _you_ had to come out of nowhere and take  _everything_ away from me! My chance with Tatsuya.. My future prospects with Yukari.. All because  _you_ had to sulk and have your boyfriend clean up your mess!"

"Mika-chan! What the  _hell_  are you talking about?" Ann argued back. She couldn't process where this sudden outrage came from Mika.

"Just like your natural looks,  _everything_ about this job was given to you without  _your_ own efforts! Yukari just  _had_  to give you another chance and listen to your _sob_  story about how having this  _strong heart_  meant so much to you." Mika began to rant. "Even with Tatsuya when he practically threw his arms all around you when no one noticed! Like, why couldn't it be  _me_ that he was head-over-heels with?"

"I'm sorry, Mika-chan.. But it's  _not_  like that with him and I. All Tatsuya wanted was to learn how to create new bonds with others again and he asked me for help." Ann attempted to explain. "Besides, I already told him that I wasn't interested at all. My heart is loyal to Ren Amamiya – no one else!"

"Hmph.. Well, let's see how  _far_ your loyalty will go for him.." Mika suddenly gave her a devious grin as she took out her phone and went to her gallery app. She showed Ann a compilation of pictures she had taken. "Mind explaining me how  _this_ happened?"

Ann took a glance and gasped at what she saw. It was pictures of her and Tatsuya at the park bench a week ago. The pictures showed Tatsuya holding Ann's hand, along with the pair caught kissing. "W-Where did you get those? Were you spying on us the whole time! What the hell, Mika-chan! Those pictures are totally out of context!"

"Oh no worries, Takamaki-san.. I  _know_ what the both of you were talking about that night.. How you had been distraught all week with not being able to get the approval from your boyfriend's parents and how you decided to stay out for dinner every night and began to feel oh so lonely.." Mika explained. "And of course, Tatsuya decided to take advantage of the situation and comfort you.. Then you had to slap some sense into that hopeless boy, both literally and figuratively. Although none of that will matter since the pictures by themselves speak a whole different story.."

Ann gritted her teeth as anger began to build up inside her. Throughout their time filming, Mika had been playing nice with both the producers and actors as she showcased her lovable and heroic side to cater to the idea of playing as the new Pink Argus. But deep down, Ann had known that Mika was acting all along in order to get on the good side of the producers. But since Ann still happened to outshine Mika, the girl decided to take things into her own hands in order to get what she wanted.

_Even after this whole time.. You're still the same Mika, stepping on others in order to benefit yourself.._

"What is it that you want, then?" Ann calmed down, crossing her arms to hear Mika's proposal.

"Simple, really.. I won't release these pictures.. Especially to your sweet Amamiya-san.. If you decline the offer from Yukari and indefinitely quit acting altogether!" Mika explained.

"WHAT! B-But.." Ann stuttered, unable to comprehend Mika's demands. She couldn't believe how dirty Mika was playing at this moment. To put so much on the line against Ann, simply because of Mika's jealousy to how acclaimed her rival was among the production team. "Mika-chan.. You can't do this!"

"Indeed I can! So.. what will it be.. Takamaki-san? What's more important to you? Your acting career? Or your cute, little relationship going on with your boyfriend?" Mika gave an obnoxious grin as she held her hands to her hips, awaiting Ann's response. "If it helps you decide, I'll also be sending these pictures to Ren's parents. I'm sure that all the chances of you gaining their approval will soon be out the window if they see how  _unfaithful_  of a partner you appear to be to their prized son!"

Ann took a moment to think about her choice. If she didn't comply to Mika's demands, then her relationship with Ren could be destroyed. But if she did, her chances of progressing into the acting business would be gone. And even if she had Tatsuya to help explain everything, word would be spread out in the community of how Ann decided to turn against her boyfriend's back and kiss another man - regardless of the situation.

"Mreeeeeeeooooowwr!" a growl suddenly echoed outside the restaurant. Both girls turned around and saw Morgana hissing towards them, slowly approaching Mika. Morgana spoke to the girl, but only Ann could understand what he had said. "You better leave Lady Ann alone, or I'll claw away at that pretty face of yours, Mika!"

"Huh..? Isn't that your boyfriend's cat?" Mika scoffed at first, before realizing the threatening growls Morgana made to her. Mika took a step back. "W-Why is it meowing like that? Get that dirty animal away from me!"

"Morgana.. Please stop." Ann suddenly spoke in a calm manner. Morgana turned around in surprise as Ann crouched down to pet him. She gave Morgana a reassuring smile. "It's okay.. I can fight my own battles, Mona-chan. Please.. just watch over Ren inside while I deal with her myself.."

 _Lady Ann.._ Morgana pondered. Taking one last look to Mika, Morgana nodded and rushed back to the doorway of Sugar Hill Kyoto. He didn't go inside however, instead opting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Before I let you know what I've decided, let me leave you off with this, Mika-chan," Ann began, standing against Mika without a hint of fear in her stance. "The bonds that we grow with others is  _just_  as important to our own goals. It is those people we allow to grow close to our hearts that helps us achieve our aspirations, especially when the going gets tough. I understand that right now, your only drive is to look out for yourself, but I will pray that one day, your heart will eventually open up and consider the feelings of others, so you may have the chance to grow bonds with them."

"..What are you saying, then – Takamaki-san? Am I going to be releasing these photos – or not?" Mika demanded, stomping her foot on the ground impatiently.

".. My boyfriend, Ren Amamiya, he's been by my side the entire time. He's helped me out through my time of need. He's given my so much  **joy**  in the moments we share. He's provided so much of his  **service**  to make sure I can reach my goals.. A man like him.. Isn't worth trading over for a career." Ann declared. She gave one final look to Mika as a sense of peace accompanied her heart on the decision she made. "You don't need to worry, anymore, Mika-chan.. I'll decline Yukari's offer."

"R-Really? Takamaki-san.." Mika stood there in disbelief. She'd expected Ann to fight against her, but to see that she accepted her fate didn't satisfy Mika at all. "Hmph! Fine! Suit yourself! Go ahead and pretend to be this kind, selfless soul you try  _soo_  hard to be! You'll barely progress in the competitive world of modeling and acting if you keep up this  _stupid_  facade!"

Ann watched as Mika crossed her arms as she headed back into the restaurant, but not before bumping into Ann's shoulder intentionally. Ann simply stood her ground and took it, not wanting to give Mika the satisfaction that she won. At the same moment, Morgana had watched the whole conversation unfold – still comprehending Ann's decision, but also felt a sense of pride for Ann.

 _Lady Ann.. She could have had a successful career if she had accepted Yukari's offer.. But instead, she sacrificed it all to remain loyal to her relationship with Ren.. Her bond with him outweighs the satisfaction this world tries to offer.._ Morgana pondered. He was beginning to understand how important Ann's relationship with Ren was to her. As he sat in front of the restaurant doorway, one of the Spirit Amulet's stones around his neck began to glow.

" _ **It is time, Morgana.. The energy for the next Spirit Attribute of Loyalty has been realized.."**_ Justine stated.

" _ **Now come on over and head to the Spirit Temple! We need to defeat its Shadow counterpart, otherwise it'll destroy the bond of your friends, Feline!"**_ Caroline demanded.

" _ **Wait.. Am I supposed to do that now?!"**_ Morgana responded in their telepathic communication. Just then, he felt his collar being grabbed as he was carried around the corner of the restaurant to a Velvet doorway. Ann looked back, only to find Morgana gone.

"Morgana? I thought I heard him.." Ann said. She quickly shrugged it off as she went back inside of Sugar Hill Kyoto to resume dinner with Ren and the others.

* * *

**= The Spirit Temple =**

* * *

"Couldn't you have warned me before dragging me back into this place!" Morgana complained as he and the twins were climbing down into the dungeons of the mysterious temple. He was transformed back into his Metaverse form. The last time he had been there was to fight against the Shadow Attribute opposing to the  **Service**  – which was  **Hinderance**. With the Spirit Attribute of  **Loyalty**  now understood, Morgana pondered at what Shadow attribute and form it would take.

"This Shadow we are about to face is much stronger than the last one we fought. Keep your eyes peeled, Feline!" Justine explained, much to Morgana's annoyance once again at hearing the nickname she kept calling him by. The trio eventually reached the end of the stairways and quickly noted the rising temperature around the area.

"Oh boy… It's super hot down here!" Morgana gasped. It had felt like an oven down there and his fur did not help to cool himself. Morgana walked over and touched the wooden doorways, immediately feeling the heat against the surface coming from the other side. Morgana yelped as his paw almost burned from the heat. "Yeowch! Careful! It must be super hot inside."

"Quickly get your Personas ready! I feel that the Shadow we are about to face won't be holding back." Justine warned them. The group nodded. Morgana summoned Mercurius once again, while Caroline called upon Jack O' Lantern. Justine opted to summon her Wind Persona – Sudama, a light-blue circular figure with four small hands hanging out from its body and a purple spiral design in the centre. Combining their Wind powers, Morgana and Justine commanded their Personas to open the door. Flames spewed to the side of the doorway as the trio entered.

"Over in the centre! It's the Shadow!" Caroline pointed her baton to the centre of the room. The area they were in resembled a large dungeon, with cells and hanging chains on the walls. Fire spewed through the cracks of the cobblestone walls and floors as heat emitted into the dungeon. Within the centre appeared to be a figure on a motorbike, with a ring of fire surrounding them.

"No way.. Tatsuya-san?" Morgana gasped, immediately recognizing the brown-haired boy on the motorcycle. The Shadow Tatsuya gave a demonic grin with his glowing yellow eyes as he was holding a chain from one of his hands. Morgana glared back at him. "Hmph! So his Shadow must represent the opposite of the  **Loyalty**  attribute.."

"Yes.. His Shadow represents  **Unfaithfulness**." Justine confirmed. The trio eventually got into battle positions as they prepared to fight against Shadow Tatsuya.

 _"Takamaki-san was going to be mine.. And you had to get in the way of our relationship!"_  Shadow Tatsuya roared as he whipped his chain onto the ground, causing fire to emit from the end. _"Loyalty is such a buzzkill.. Why bother staying in a committed relationship to one person when you can get all the girls you want! That Ren Amamiya dude doesn't deserve her at all! I wanted her more than he did!"_

"If it wasn't for loyalty, then the bonds we've forged with one another would have no foundation!" Morgana defended. "It's the basis which helps us to understand  _why_ we are committed to that one person and establishes the worth they have to us! We can't give up when a simple issues arises and threatens our bonds. Without loyalty, there'd be no meaning in any of the relationships we've built! We'd be too tempted to fall towards being unfaithful beings!"

 _"Grrggh! Shut up! I'm gonna make sure I burn away the last of Takamaki-san's sense of loyalty towards Amamiya-san. If Mika couldn't **hinder** their relationship, then I'll just have to show them the  **unfaithfulness** that has tainted their bond with the kiss I planted on Ann! Hahahahah!"_ Tatsuya immediately raised his hand up in the air as he summoned his Persona.  _"Come forth and rain fire! Let's go – **Vulcanus!"**_

Shadow Tatsuya's Persona appeared above him from a tornado of flames. It was an intimidating figure specializing in fire and smithing abilities, appearing with a sturdy, demonic-looking welding helmet with fire spouting out from its shoulders. Shadow Tatsuya whipped his chain towards the trio. "Vulcanus! Use  _Maragidyne_  and burn all of them alive!"

"Watch out!" Caroline warned as the trio jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding the heavy fire attack. She pointed towards Vulcanus and commanded her Jack O' Lantern to fire back. "Let's show 'em who's got the stronger firepower! Counter 'em with your own  _Agidyne_ attack!"

"No! Caroline!" Justine hollered to her sister, but it was too late. The powerful fire spell from Jack O' Lantern was immediately sucked into Vulcanus as the Shadow Tatsuya laughed in glee, feeling energized by the fire boost. Justine explained. "Their main element is Fire – You've given them an extra boost of energy by adding fire to their fuel!"

"Dammit! Why didn't you tell me earlier, Justine!?" Caroline yelled as she stomped her feet onto the ground in frustration.

 _"Hmph! Let's hit 'em with everything we've got, Vulcanus! Full power Marigidyne!"_ Shadow Tatsuya commanded once more. Vulcanus shot out a powerful wave of fire, strengthened by the boost given by Caroline's Persona. The attack immediately connected to the trio as they both fell to the ground and heavily damaged by the heavy fire spell..

"Uggghh.. with just one attack, he's already way too powerful for us.." Morgana groaned as he attempted to get up, but felt that his fur was scorched from the  _Marigdyne_ attack. He looked over to Caroline and Justine as they both struggled to get up. At the centre of the dungeon, he noticed that Shadow Tatsuya was preparing one final attack to end them. "Dangit.. He's knocked us down.. If..If only we had the help from the others.. Three of us aren't strong enough to handle Shadow Tatsuya's powers!"

"Io! Stop 'em with a powerful gust of  _Garudyne!"_ another voiced suddenly shouted from behind. Catching Shadow Tatsuya off-guard, a blast of wind hit both him and his Persona, temporarily knocking them backwards as they stumbled onto the fiery dungeon floor. Morgana and the twins looked back in awe at the figure who joined them in battle.

"Huh.. Could that be… Yukari?" Morgana gasped, watching as Yukari entered from the dungeon doorway. She appeared outfitted into her Pink Argus uniform and carried a bow and arrow weapon. Floating behind her was her Persona – Io, whom appeared to be a blonde woman chained on top of a giant, metallic head of a bull. Morgana hollered in shock. "What the heck- she's a Persona user as well?!"

" _Mediarama!_ " Yukari casted upon Morgana and the twins. The three of them were surrounded by a sparkle of blue light as they felt their energy being replenished. She walked over to Morgana and crouched down, offering a helping hand. "Hi, I believe we haven't formally introduced ourselves. I am Yukari Takeba – official reserve member of the Shadow Operatives!"

"Yeah.. I know who you are.. except the whole Shadow Operatives thingy." Morgana responded, taking Yukari's hand as he stood back up. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Huh.. I thought you only played the part of superhero – I didn't expect you to actually  _be_ one! Hold up.. How did you get here?"

"Ohh, well I went to get some fresh air outside the restaurant when I felt a familiar presence, which I presumed were Shadows. I followed the aura into this weird, blue doorway and walked right through." Yukari explained. She crossed her arms and began to connect Morgana's identity. "Hey.. wait a minute.. Aren't you that black cat that Amamiya-san owns? Your his pet aren't you! You look a little different though.."

"HEY! I'm not a cat.. Well, physically I am.. But I am  _no_ one's pet!" Morgana argued back. Both he and Yukari were joined by Caroline and Justine as the twins began to look at each other in confusion.

"Caroline.. Did you forget to close the doorway when you grabbed Morgana?" Justine asked, crossing her arms.

"Uhh… maybe I did.. Ugh.. We were in a rush, okay!" Caroline suddenly pointed her baton at Yukari. "And what kind of human just  _walks_  into random doors?! Don't you know about privacy?!"

"Like I said, I'm a reserve member of the Shadow Operatives. When I felt the presence of Shadows nearby, I had no choice but to investigate – it's my job." Yukari attempted to explain, before they were cut off by Shadow Tatsuya commanding another  _Marigidyne_ spell at them. "Uhm.. why don't we fight now and talk later?"

The four took a stance against Shadow Tatsuya as he fired the  _Marigidyne_ spell at them. The group easily dodged it as they began firing their attacks. Caroline switched her Persona to the electrifying spirit of Agathion and began shooting electricity spells back at Shadow Tatsuya and Vulcanus, whilst Morgana, Yukari and Justine continued sweeping the enemy away with their Wind Personas.

"We need to break away his Fire resistance!" Yukari told the others as she commanded Io to retaliate with another  _Garudyne_ attack. "Can any of your Personas weaken the enemy?"

"Give me a moment," Justine called back to them. She swiftly changed her Persona to Pixie, and commanded it to cast a spell to break Vulcanus's fire resistance. "Pixie! Nullify him with your Fire Break!"

 _"Gaaaah!"_  Shadow Tatsuya and Vulcanus uttered in pain as Justine's Pixie flew over and casted a spell to completely nullify their resistance to Fire.

"Alright! Personaaa!" Caroline called out, reverting her Persona back to Jack O' Lantern. She pointed her baton towards Shadow Tatsuya. "Give 'em your meanest  _Arigidyne!"_ Her Jack O' Lantern complied as it erupted a strong column of fire at their opponent and caused them to get burned.

"This is our opportunity! Attack him with your strongest wind attacks!" Yukari commanded. She, along with Morgana and Justine, summoned their Personas and combined their  _Garudyne_ spells into one powerful attack in the form of a gigantic hurricane, which enveloped the entire room and closed in onto Shadow Tatsuya and Vulcanus in the middle, dealing severe damage as they were extra weak to wind attacks due to their Burn ailment casted by Caroline. Vulcanus disappeared as Shadow Tatsuya slammed against the back of the dungeon room, with his motorcycle crashing into the wall and breaking into pieces around him.

"It's over, Shadow Tatsuya.. the Spirit Attribute of  **Loyalty** surpasses the Shadow Attribute of  **Unfaithfulness** that you desire to push upon others." Morgana went up to the fallen Shadow Tatsuya, followed by Caroline, Justine and Yukari. "Face it..  **Loyalty** is needed to stabilize relationships. This is something you can learn when you consider the feeling of others regarding your actions."

 _"You.. may be right.."_  Shadow Tatsuya explained, lowering his head as he was on his knees.  _"Maybe I wasn't considerate of Takamaki-san's feeling. I underestimated the loyalty she had for Amamiya-san, and caused myself to be in this situation of jealousy and spite. If I am to bond with others.. I need to learn how to be loyal myself.."_

"Blah blah blah, now go and lock him up, Feline!" Caroline demanded. Using the powers of the Spirit Amulet, Morgana opened the doorway at the back of the dungeon as Shadow Tatsuya's form disappeared into a sparkle of light and flew into the darkness. As the doors sealed, a light glowed from the Spirit Amulet as it placed a locking spell onto the door as it glowed, signifying the Shadow attribute being locked away.

"Phew.. Did  _not_ expect any of this happening today.." Yukari breathed in relief. She took a moment to comprehend what had just happened. She had just entered a mysterious realm where she was able to summon her Persona once again - an ability she hadn't done in years. He looked over to Morgana and the twins, who stared up to her in wonderment.

"Okay.. Can anyone explain to me what's been going on?"

* * *

**= The Spirit Temple =  
** **Room of Attribution**

* * *

"And that's basically what we've been doing the entire time." Morgana ended, finishing up his explanation to Yukari. The group had taken refuge into the safe room of the Spirit Temple, known as the Room of Attribution where the Spirit Amulet had originated.

"I see.. sorta. So now you've taken up the role as the Spirit Guardian of Ren and Ann's relationship, if I am correct?" Yukari repeated, with Morgana and the twins nodded. She crossed her arms, pondering for a moment before giving Morgana a thumbs-up. "Awwh… Mona-chan.. I don't know if anyone has said this to you yet, but you're so sweet looking out for your friends! Ren and Ann must mean a lot if you're so willing to sacrifice your life to protect their bond."

 _Yeah… I guess they really are important to me.._ Morgana thought to himself. He recounted how his journey to guard his friend's relationship began when he felt heartbroken and still yearned over for Ann. But sensing his desire to protect his friends, he had let go his own ambitions for now in order to complete his goal of obtaining the necessary energy for the Spirit Amulet.  _There's still a lot at stake in this mission.. I'll be able to become human too, once I finish understanding the attributes on human relationships.._

"Well, you can count on me if you need any further help!" Yukari saluted them, much to surprise of Morgana and the twins. Yukari explained. "Ever since I've begun to learn more about Ren and Ann and the special bond they share over the last few weeks, I guess I've grown to admire their dedication for each other. I also want to protect their relationship as well. They are a rare couple who've been through a lot and I hope for their special bond to continue growing."

Morgana turned over to Caroline and Justine, both at first appearing somewhat troubled by how Yukari described Ren and Ann's bond to be special, but quickly changing their moods to one of understanding.

"We will need as much assistance as needed in order to defeat the Shadows that will soon erupt from this temple." Justine explained. She turned over to Caroline, who nodded in agreement. "Mona-chan.. What is your take on this addition? As this place is not restricted by time and space, we can easily call upon Yukari's help when needed at any time."

Morgana thought about Yukari joining their team as they would infiltrate the Spirit Palace and fight the Shadows. There was no doubt that the enemy would grow stronger as they continued gathering the energy of the Spirit attributes. They had only managed to defeat two of the eight Shadow attributes, with one still on the loose deep in the temple. After much thought, Morgana held a hand out to Yukari as he accepted her offer.

"Alright, Yukari Takeba, you are now part of the _Spirit Guardians_!"

* * *

_**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Sugar Hill Kyoto  
Evening** _

* * *

The night continued on as Morgana and Yukari were returned outside of Sugar Hill Kyoto. Caroline and Justine had returned them mere moments after they had entered the Spirit Realm. The duo immediately resumed the wrap-up party, spending it as if their entire battle in the Spirit Palace hadn't happened at all. Hours eventually passed as every body began making their way home for the night.

"It was great seeing you guys!" Yukari hugged both Ren and Ann as they said their farewells outside of the restaurant. She looked over and attempted to locate Mika. "Huh, where'd that girl go?"

"She left early. Said she had other important business to deal with.." Ann answered. She sighed, still reflecting on the deal she agreed with Mika on not accepting Yukari's offer. "I'm sorry again for declining your offer, Takeba-san. There's just other things I need to figure out first.. I hope you understand."

"It's okay, Takamaki-san! As your senpai, don't be afraid to reach out to me! I'll be here to help you no matter what!" Yukair exclaimed as she held both of Ann's hands. She then turned over to Ren and winked at him. "Amamiya-san, continue to support your beloved Ann. I know you'll remain the faithful and supportive boyfriend that she's fallen for."

"Definitely." Ren nodded. He and Ann eventually waved Yukari goodbye as she entered her rental vehicle and drove off to her hotel.

"Takamaki-san? Amamiya-san?" Tatsuya spoke from behind them. He gave them a gentle smile. "Hey.. I just wanted to say goodbye. I'm gonna be heading back to Sumaru City first thing tomorrow morning.."

"Of course. It was a pleasure working with you, Tatsuya-san." Ann offered her hand as Tatsuya shook it. "I wish you luck with your heart and desire to learn how to create new bonds once again, as well as your studies in the police academy. And make sure keep in touch with us!"

Tatsuya assured Ann. He then turned over to Ren and nodded, leaving a couple parting words for him. "Keep her safe, Ren. Remain loyal to her. Don't lose her to anyone else. She's worth keeping."

"I know." Ren agreed, putting his hand around Ann's shoulder as she blushed. Ren gave Tatsuya one final farewell. "If you're ever in town, don't be shy to come visit. You'll always find friends with us."

Ren and Ann waved goodbye as they watched Tatsuya ride off on his motorcycle. The couple took a moment to stand and stare at each other for a moment, before Ren planted a firm kiss on top of Ann's forehead, much to her delight. The two began their way home to Ren's home to get some rest. As they walked down the peaceful streets at night, Morgana peeked out from Ren's bag and looked up to the couple, reflecting on the troubles they had faced for the first half of their summer break.

_The things I've done for Ren and Ann.. How I've understood the meaning of loyalty in human relationships.. I wonder what the next step will be for them.. For us.._

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	12. Royal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Arriving back in Tokyo, Ren and Ann encounter a new face - Kasumi Yoshizawa. The Phantom Thieves begin their band practice, when Morgana notices a bond between Ren and Kasumi blossom."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello readers! How ya doin'? It's great to be back updating this long-fic once again. Been busy with Shuann week for the past couple days, which turned out to be a huge success with the variety of content posted - including fanfics and fan art - as well as the rising amount of support and followers the week brought! I've made my own submission for the week - entitled "Captured Memories: A Shuann Week series" and a mature-themed one-shot called "Cries of the Healing Soul", so if you haven't read them yet, please feel free to check it out!
> 
> Anyway, back to Morgana's quest to protect Ren and Ann's relationship! With the start of a new arc for this story, we'll be introducing a new character - one that I've decided to create my own interpretation on - since we barely know much about her character at the moment, and since I'm hyped up for Persona 5: Royal.
> 
> Hope y'all have a good week! Thanks again for reading!

 

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 12: ROYAL**

* * *

_**\- AUGUST -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Yongen-Jaya, Cafe Leblanc  
Afternoon** _

* * *

The hot season of summer continued within the busy metropolitan of Tokyo. Ren and Ann had boarded the Nozomi line earlier that morning and soon arrived in the city, making their way to Cafe Leblanc to meet their friends. With the permission of Ren's parents, he was able to spend the rest of his summer break under the supervision of Sojiro once more and to catch up with his friends while they would prepare for Tokyo's upcoming _Super Special Summer Music Festival_ at the end of August.

"It feels good to be back home again!" Ann exclaimed, holding hands with Ren as the duo walked through Yongen-Jaya. As they slowly approached the cafe, the pair could hear loud music vibrating from inside. Ann and Ren took a moment to listen near the doorway. "Huh, is that  _dance_  music playing inside?"

"Did Sojiro  _finally_ decide to open up a club in his cafe?" Morgana commented as he peeked his head out of Ren's bag, perking up his ears as he listened as well. Ren shrugged and opened the door. As they entered the cafe, loud, upbeat disco music was playing as it escalated to the main chorus.

_You'll never see it coming_  
_You'll see that my mind is too fast for eyes_  
_You're done in  
_ _By the time it's hit you, your last surprise_

"What is going on? Wait, Futaba?!" Ann hollered. Sojiro was no where to be found in the cafe. Instead, Futuba was dancing on top of one of the tables while she did a goofy dance in beat with the music while her back turned towards the entrance. She was accompanied by a mysterious red-haired girl dancing along with her on the floor. The girl immediately stopped dancing and yelled to Futaba as she pointed to the door.

"AAAAHHH! AANNN? AND REEN!?" Futaba exclaimed as she turned around hastily, only to end up losing her balance as she stumbled off the table and slammed onto the ground. Futaba quickly got up and dusted herself while she gave off an embarrassed grin. "Mweheheh.. Sorry 'bout that! Wasn't expecting you two to be here so soon!"

"Whaaaat?" Ann had to yell over the loud dance music that continued to play in the cafe. Futaba took a remote out of her back pocket and pressed a button, pausing the music from the speaker output hidden in the cafe. "Futaba, what's going on? Where's Sojiro? And most importantly.. what the  _hell_  were you doing dancing on the table like that?"

"It's like you guys never witnessed people groovin' out! Whatever, I'm just so glad you guys are back! Eeeeeeeh!" Futaba hopped happily as she gave both of them a big bear hug. "I missed you guys  _sooooooo_  much!"

"It's nice to see you too, Futaba. But mind explaining what you and your friend were doing?" Ren smiled to Futaba, quickly getting down to business.

"Oh! Right.. I  _did_ promise that I'd introduce you to my new friend, Ren!" Futaba grinned as she motioned her friend to come, wrapping an arm around their shoulder. "Ren! I'd like for you to meet the one and only - Kasumi Yoshizawa!"

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Amamiya-san." Kasumi greeted him. The girl sported red long hair tied into a ponytail with a red bow and currently wore a white button-up shirt underneath a beige cardigan, a brown plaid tennis skirt and white sneakers. She was taller than Futaba, yet slightly shorter than Ann's height. "Futaba has told me a lot of great things about you. By the way, do you happen to dance, Amamiya-san?"

"Uhm… when I feel like it?" Ren gave a confused look as he turned to Ann, who simply shrugged back. "Why do you ask?"

"Ehh.. don't mind her. She's just sour that her partner quit on her last minute from their dance competition." Futaba commented. She ended up getting elbowed by Kasumi. Futaba moaned in pain. "Gaaah! What was that for?!"

"I'm not sour! And I'm not asking him anything! Like I told you earlier, Futaba. I can handle it on my own – I don't need anyone's help!" Kasumi said with confidence as she crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow to Ren while he took a moment to analyze him. "I only asked him 'cause I thought he would be one of the others I'd participate against in the dance competition for the upcoming festival. I mean, he looks hippie enough with those glasses to possibly be a dancer."

"Excuse me? I think he looks good in his glasses." Ann defended Ren. She raised a hand towards Kasumi. "By the way, I don't think we've met at school either. I'm Ann Takamaki!"

"Ah, yes! You're Ren's girlfriend! Futaba told me a lot about you. She says you're  _very_ clingy!" Kasumi greeted as she shook Ann's hand.

"C-Clingy? I'm  _not_ clingy! I'm just.. Err..  _dedicated_  to my guy! There's nothing wrong with that!" Ann teased, wrapping an arm around Ren's shoulder as she played with his hair. "I'm not  _that_ clingy, am I babe?"

"Well, you  _did_  ask me if you could stay at my house for the last couple weeks for your movie." Ren pointed out. He received pinch to his side from Ann as she continued to smile, all while he winced in pain. "Uggh! B-But that's totally okay! Who  _wouldn't_  want to spend all their time time with you, my love?"

"Awww! That's like, the first time you ever called me that, babe!" Ann squealed as she playfully pinched his cheek.

"Oh no… She's finally got him on a leash.." Futaba cringed as she shuddered for a moment, while Kasumi watched the couple continue to do their sweet talk in front of them. "Anyway, once you guys are done gushing over each other, we have an emergency! Sojiro-san is out for the day and Futaba is  _suuupeer_ thirsty! Ren! Make coffee! Now!"

"You know how to make coffee? Hmm… I'm intrigued." Kasumi raised an eyebrow towards Ren as she and Futaba made their way to the booths. Ann quickly joined them as Ren sighed, making his way over to the counter to prepare a batch of coffee for them.

_Hmm… A new girl, eh? Hehe.. looks like its time to show her my charm._ Morgana thought as he peeked his head out of Ren's bag.

" _ **Seriously, Feline? You've had the hots for the Lover for over a year and now you move on to the cute red-head? How shallow can you be!?"**_  Caroline's voice echoed into his mind.

" _ **I agree. You must be ever so desperate for love that you immediately jump to any girl that catches your eye."**_ Justine's voice added.

" _ **I was kidding! Can't you guys take a joke?"**_ Morgana argued back in their communication.

" _ **A joke? Is that.. some type of alcoholic beverage?"**_ Justine questioned.

" _ **Don't be stupid, Justine! A joke is clearly an analogy for an exquisite dessert provided at the end of a seven-course meal. Duuuh!"**_ Caroline answered with confidence.

_Smite me now… Please.._ Morgana groaned as the twins continued arguing to one another in his head as they debated on what a joke was. Ignoring them, Morgana leaped over to the booths and began to purr as he cuddled his head against Kasumi's side in order to grab her attention.

"Uh oh… a cat?!" Kasumi's eyes widened in horror at the sight of Morgana. Suddenly her nose began to twitch as a sneeze approached her. "Noo… Sorry 'bout this.. Uhm….Ah-Ac—AACHOOOOO!"

"Whoah! That was a doozy!" Futaba exclaimed, leaning over to the side of their table to grab a tissue from the dispenser, handing it over to Kasumi so she could blow her nose. "Yoshizawa-san, are you allergic to cats?"

"Mhmm." Kasumi nodded as she wiped her nose. She looked down to Morgana as she apologized. "Sorry, furry one. You're cute and all but, it's not you - it's me."

_WHAAAAAT?! Did I just get rejected… before I even talked to her?_ Morgana lowered his head in defeat as he heard the laughter of the twins mock him in his head.

The girls began to chat away as Ren continued brewing their coffee. Ann took the time to learn more about Kasumi while Ren and Morgana listened in the background. Kasumi had been a new transfer to Shujin Academy around Spring that same year, beginning in her first year and initially made acquaintances with Futaba as they shared homeroom together. She was currently enrolled in the gymnastics club, enjoyed participating in physical activities such as sports and dancing, and managed to receive a scholarship to Shujin for her excellence. Kasumi at first didn't get along with many in her classes, due to the underlying temper she could manage to build up that was hidden beneath her sweet and elegant exterior. Nevertheless, Kasumi had learned to be independent and not rely on others if she was in trouble, believing it was best to find the solution to her problems by herself.

"So you truly are the image of an independent woman. That's pretty inspiring!" Ann complimented as she took a sip of her coffee as Ren joined their conversation. "And you're into sports as well? Oooooh, you remind me so much of Shiho, except for maybe the temper tantrum part, heheh. I'm sure you'd guys get along!"

"She isn't a red-head for nothin'! It's basically symbolic for how hot-headed she can be!" Futaba joked, playfully punching Kasumi to the side.

"HUH!" Kasumi yelped, causing everyone to jump. Realizing her sudden outburst, Kasumi felt herself turn red as she sighed and apologized. "Uggh… sorry. I'm like a bomb that's easily triggered. I don't mean it.. It's just that I'm  _really_  sensitive, I guess. B-But I've been doing my best to work on that!"

"No worries! Everyone's got their flaws. It's the imperfections that make us human!" Ann reassured Kasumi, giving her a gentle smile. "For me, I see it as you being very,  _very_ passionate about your feelings. But I'm sure you can learn to control them and be kinder with someone to guide you!"

Kasumi pondered over Ann's words and crossed her arms as she leaned back into her seat. "It's okay, I'm sure I can figure it out myself. Hehe, I feel like if someone tried to help me, I'd just get really annoyed all of a sudden, eheh.."

"I mean if you keep up that attitude, obviously people will get pissed off, heheh." Ann jokingly said, but the statement flew over Kasumi's head as she argued back.

"What do you mean, Takamaki-san!?" Kasumi yelled back.

"Kasumi! She was kidding! Please, calm down." Futaba assured her. Kasumi took a moment relax once more.

"I..I'm sorry. I think I should go." Kasumi apologized. She hastily stood up from her seat and bowed to Ren, thanking him for the coffee he made. Before the others could say another word to her, Kasumi ran out of the cafe and made her way home. Ren and Ann could only look at each other in shock while they turned to Futaba for an answer.

"It's not my story to tell.. but let's just say she didn't have the best parents to console with. Or a lot of friends to really talk to at school due to her  _anger_ issues." Futaba explained. The group took a moment to sit silently as they pondered over Kasumi's case. Was her upbringing the result of her temper? The reason why she'd rather do things independently, rather than reach out to others for help? So many questions ran through their head regarding Kasumi's background. Morgana noted their contemplating expressions and gave his two cents.

"I don't know why, but she immediately reminds me of you guys. All of you were misunderstood youths who've felt like they didn't belong in society. The sense of loneliness, fear, troubled backgrounds - I feel that from Kasumi." Morgana explained. He assumed that Kasumi needed the experience to truly bond with someone. His head immediately turned towards Ren and Ann.

_She needs the understanding of a true relationship.. Not run by fear or anger.. But one based around **joy**..  **service**..  **loyalty**.. One which these two have shown me in these past few months._

"I wish we could do something, but she ran off. So there's not much we can do about it for now." Ann brought up. The others agreed. They suddenly felt an obligation to dedicate part of their summer break with reaching out to Kasumi. But with them being very busy with preparations for the music festival, how would they find the time to figure it out?

As they pondered it over, they eventually realized that dinnertime was approaching. Futaba explained that Sojiro-san would be home late, so dinner plans would have to be on them. Ann assured her. "Ohh, no problem! Why don't I treat all of us out at the Wilton Buffet?"

"Huuuuh? W-What's the occasion, Takamaki-san?" Futaba's jaw dropped. The Wilton buffet was super expensive. Why'd she suddenly want to treat them out?

"Ann got paid to be in the Feathermen movie, remember?" Ren reminded Futaba before winking over to Ann. "She's got a lot of dough in her pockets now."

"Don't worry! I'm saving up something special just for  _you_  on our next monthsary." Ann teased, pointing her finger as she tapped onto Ren's nose in a playful manner. "I still have to figure out a way to top off your super romantic gesture back at Okumura Cafe!"

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever - now come on! Let's go let's go let's go! I wanna eat!" Futaba exclaimed as she jumped out of her seat and grabbed Ren's hand, dragging him out to the doorway.

"H-Hey! Futaba! The hand-holding is exclusive to me!" Ann called out to Futaba as she raced over to grab her boyfriend.

"Hey! Wait for me! I want to be part of the buffet! I desire lots of fish!" Morgana called out, realizing that he was being left behind in the cafe. Morgana chased after them as the group began to head on their way to the next train to Shibuya to eat dinner. With the case of Kasumi put on hold for now, the group of friends decided to spend the night eating away at the buffet.

_Mweheheh.. maybe getting some grub in our stomachs will help us figure out what to do with Kasumi!_

* * *

_**\- AUGUST -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Okumura Residence  
Evening** _

* * *

The next day approached as Ren and Morgana made their way to Haru's place. This would be the first night to rehearse with their friends for the music competition that Ryuji forced them to participate a couple months back. Winners of the competition would have a chance to meet Rise Kujikawa in person – which, in Ryuji's case, was a  _very_ exquisite incentive for them to work hard. Throughout summer break, Ren had been practicing with his acoustic guitar while Ann had been filming for her role in Kyoto. And now, their individual efforts would soon be tested as they would practice together as a band.

"I hope we don't sound terrible. I mean, I know that  _you_  sound good on your guitar," Morgana commented as Ren walked down the street of Haru's home. He recalled the various nights when Ren would stay up at night and sing songs to Ann while they had their video chats.

Ren nodded, curious to how the rest of the Phantom Thieves were handling their own practice. "I just hope that Ryuji doesn't go all crazy on the drums and end up breaking them.

"Mweheheh - I'm sure you can count on him to bang it out pretty loudly!" Morgana joked.

As the duo closed in on Haru's home, Ren and Morgana noticed a lone individual sitting on a bench in front of their path, illuminated by the street lamp overlooking from above. The duo immediately recognized the red-haired individual that they met yesterday.

"Kasumi?" Ren gently called out to her. He slowly inched closer and realized that Kasumi was sobbing quietly. On instinct, Ren went over to help her. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I...I don't need help.. Leave me alone." Kasumi said as she wiped her tears away. She noticed that Ren sat down and took a handkerchief from his pocket to hand to her, triggering Kasumi's annoyance. "Ugh! Why can't you take a hint? Go away!"

_Sheesh.. She really does have a temper tantrum over the smallest of things.. Calm down, wil you?_ Morgana pondered as he jumped out of Ren's bag and took a moment to stretch on the sidewalk. Kasumi gasped at the sight of Morgana and began to sneeze immediately.  _Ohh shoot! I forgot! She's allergic to my natural charm!_

"I think you really need it. Please, take it." Ren offered his handkerchief, watching as Kasumi continued to sneeze while her face dripped in tears.

Admitting defeat, Kasumi snatched Ren's handkerchief out of his hand and began to simultaneously wipe her tears with one side while blowing her nose on the other. After letting her calm down, Ren began to ask Kasumi what was wrong. "Kasumi, why are you here all by yourself? And why are you crying? Did something bad happen?"

"I told you.. It's none of your business, Amamiya-san." Kasumi defended herself as she leaned back onto the bench, maintaining her gaze in front of her. "I… I need to deal with this by myself.. I can't let anyone else get involved with my problems."

Morgana noted Kasumi's reluctance on being open, but sensed that Ren would continue pushing forward, knowing full well that his heart was always open to being kind to others and ensuring they were alright.  _Typical Ren.. Always looking out for others when he doesn't need to. This guys is the definition of selflessness._

"Kasumi.. I can't leave you like this. You're Futaba's friend – someone that she trusts and has talked dearly about to me." Ren explained, although Kasumi didn't answer as she continued staring forward as she listened to his words. Out of nowhere, he held his hand out to her. "Why don't you come with me? I'm going to be meeting up with Futaba with a couple of our friends. We'd love it if you could join us."

"I.. I couldn't.. I don't wanna make things awkward for you guys." Kasumi groaned. She looked over and noticed that Ren still kept his hand out for her. Finding it annoying, she slapped away his hand, much to his surprise. "Stop it! H-How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?"

"..Fine. I didn't want to do this but.." Ren sighed. He leaned back onto the bench and crossing both his arms and legs while getting comfortable in his spot. Morgana and Kasumi gave him a weird look as Ren didn't bother moving from his spot. "Kasumi.. I'm not leaving until I know you'll be leaving this bench in a good state."

"Hmph! Suit yourself! Don't expect me to talk to you at  _all_  tonight!" Kasumi crossed her arms and held her head up in a prideful manner. She wasn't going to be moved by Ren's kindness at all. Kasumi was independent and wouldn't allow anyone to help her out even in her most troubling times.

_Ughh.. We're gonna be here for awhile.._ Morgana groaned as he got comfortable and laid on the sidewalk. He stared at Ren for a moment as a thought came to his mind.  _Why is Ren suddenly so invested on Kasumi like this? I know he's trying to be kind, but he's already in a relationship and this does feel like he's pushing things.. What would Lady Ann think about this?_

Ren and Kasumi sat on the bench in awkward silence for a few minutes. Morgana continually observed them, noting Kasumi hunching her head down as she began feeling the pressure of Ren's presence get to her. Occasionally, Kasumi would look over to Ren and catch him glancing at her, causing her to turn red and look away. For a moment, Morgana noticed Ren smiling at Kasumi's timid behavior. Her usual outgoing and explosive mind was suddenly petrified by Ren's stoic and patient behavior. After what felt like an eternity to Kasumi, she quickly stood up from her seat and surrendered.

"ALRIGHT! You've got me! Just  _pleeeeassse_ stop being so awkward!" Kasumi begged Ren, causing him to chuckle from her reaction. Noting his laughter, Kasumi felt herself blush, then immediately yelled against his reaction."Hey! Quit it! Now where is Futaba? Take me to her this instant!"

"Follow me." Ren calmly said, standing up from his bench and motioned Kasumi to follow her. Morgana hastily followed the duo behind as they made their way to Haru's home. As they entered through the gates and walked up the pathway to the entrance, Morgana's mind still attempted to comprehend Ren's random act of kindness towards Kasumi and how he hadn't given up on her.

_Well.. Ren didn't figure out why Kasumi was crying in the first place, but at least she's opening up to him a little bit… This guy is really persistent.._

"Ren-kun! You've finally made it. And.. oh.. who's this?" Haru greeted them at the doorway, enlightened to see Ren, only to give a surprised look to the new face that accompanied him.

"Oh my gooosh! Kasumi!" Futaba exclaimed, running from the living room and gave her friend a big hug, almost choking her out from the embrace. "I didn't know you were coming too!"

"..Me neither." Kasumi replied, taking a quick glance back to Ren, before making her way inside. Futaba dragged her into the living room where the rest of the others were waiting, with Ren, Morgana and Haru following closely behind. Futaba made a grandiose gesture as she introduced Kasumi to the rest of their friends, all while she shyly waved at them. "Uhh.. Hi.. sorry if I'm disrupting your hangout.. I got dragged all the way here by Amamiya-san, hehe.."

"No worries! We're glad to see you!" Ann affirmed as she got up to give Kasumi a quick hug. As Futaba introduced Kasumi to Ryuji, Yusuke and Makoto, Ann went over to Ren and questioned him. "So.. you dragged her all the way here? Did you guys like, meet up or something?"

"I bumped into her on the way here." Ren began explaining. He got closer to Ann and whispered into her ear. "I found her crying on the bench.. She seemed really distraught and I didn't want to leave her alone.."

"I see.. That was really kind of you, Ren." Ann commented, giving her boyfriend a gentle smile. They looked over as Kasumi began conversing with Makoto, all while Ryuji was making small comments to Yusuke on how cute she looked. Ann further questioned her boyfriend. "Did she say anything about what she was crying about? Anything that can help us talk to her? Or did she end up yelling at you again.."

"Oh, there was plenty of yelling, that's for sure. But I think she's starting to warm up to me." Ren explained to Ann, who simply nodded to his response. Ren noticed that she went into a deep thought for a moment, but he assured her not to worry too much about it. "It's okay, I can handle yelling, I mean, you've yelled at me a couple times before and we're still fine, right?"

"Heheh… yeah.. of course." Ann chuckled for a moment as her voice soon trailed off. Morgana noted this and began to wonder.

_Hmm… I wonder what Lady Ann is thinking about.. Could she possibly be.. Naah, of course not.. Why would she anyway?_

As the group began to acquaint themselves with Kasumi, they began to transition on their plans for the music festival at the end of the month and how they would begin practicing their music. They would be using Haru's basement for their main practices. In terms of instruments, Haru would be using her own grand piano and play the keys. Ryuji managed to borrow a drum kit from a cousin of his, while Ren and Yusuke would both be playing lead guitar and bass respectively, with the instruments provided by Haru who'd bought second-hand equipment she purchased from one of her late-father's friend. Ann and Makoto would be providing the main vocals for their band, while Futaba would be their sound engineer to ensure their equipment was tuned and balanced correctly.

"I still can't believe you're making me sing, Ryuji." Makoto annoyingly said after Ryuji ran over their entire plan once more.

Ann agreed with her, although she had more of Ren to blame for putting her in this scenario than Ryuji.

"Uhm.. If I can ask, what song do you guys plan on singing?" Kasumi asked them. Futaba explained that they decided to cover the opening theme of an anime she used to watch called  _Digimon Adventure Tri,_ and that the song was entitled  _Butterfly._ Kasumi pondered for a moment, then smiled. "Huh.. I know that song. The instrumentation is pretty difficult.. Are you sure you guys know how you're arranging it?"

"Uhh.. to be honest, this is all kind of new to us." Ryuji said in embarrassment. "We'd thought of just winging it, really."

"WHAT! Are you seriously  _that_ stupid?!" Kasumi yelled at Ryuji, much to his surprise as he almost fell backwards from her outburst. "You can't just  _wing_ music! You seriously need to put your heart and soul into this type of art, just like any other, or else you're going to taint its pure form!"

"Are you 'effin kidding me with the screaming? First of all Kasumi, you can't just yell randomly like that." Ryuji pointed out to her.

"Yet, you do it all the time, Ryuji." Futaba brought up.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Ryuji quickly brushed off Futaba's comment. "Secondly, what does it matter to you? Are you like this sort of music master that knows  _everything_  on how a song is arranged and played? Like, where are  _your_  credentials?"

"Didn't Futaba mention that you knew how to sing, Kasumi?" Ren brought up. The group looked over to him, curious to see how he'd handle their current situation. "You're into a lot of creative activities, with gymnastics, sports, and dancing. I wouldn't be surprised if you knew how to sing as well."

The group stared at Kasumi as she began to blush and sweat from the attention. She stomped her feet. "S-Stop staring at me like that! It feels awkward! But… yeah, to answer your question, I do know how to sing."

"Then I demand that you audition!" Haru suddenly jumped into their conversation. She grabbed the microphone from her television and booted up the karaoke machine, switching over to the song that they were planning on performing at the music festival. She held the microphone over to Kasumi. "Please enlighten us with your angelic voice, Kasumi-chan!"

"Come on, Kasumi-chan! We'd love to hear you sing!" Ann joined in. The rest of the group agreed, interested in seeing one of Kasumi's talents live in action.

"Uhh… Well.." Kasumi suddenly felt herself turned red once more. She turned over to Ren, who gave her a reassuring nod. Taking a deep breath, she took the microphone from Haru and agreed. "Fine… I'll sing.. But  _don't_ judge me."

The rest of the group sat down as Haru began the playback of the song. As the screen transitioned to a generic background of a mountainous landscape, the instrumentation of a rock-and-roll anime song began to play through the surround system as the lyrics popped up. As a rush of confidence overcame Kasumi, she began to sing perfectly in tune with the song with her powerful voice.

_My broken wings dream of the sky_  
_And they'll never be able to fly_  
_Only if we never try  
_ _On my looooove._

"Whoaaah… She sounds good!" Morgana commented. He turned over to the others as they began whispering to each other in excitement as Kasumi continued singing to the chorus. Even he found himself bobbing his head to Kasumi's singing as it matched well with the song. "Mweheheh, looks like the others are really liking what they are hearing!"

_Maybe this world's an infinite dream_  
And there's only hope living in me  
_May it not fail me now_  
_We'll turn this thing around_  
_And bring back the lovin' somehow  
_ _On my looooove._

The song ended as the score popped up on the screen, showing an impressive score of 97 as the virtual audience applauded. Kasumi turned around to the others and shrugged. "So.. thoughts?"

"Oh my goodness! You sounded amazing, Kasumi-chan!" Haru immediately complimented.

"My ears feel like they've been blessed by an angel." Yusuke commented. "As a fellow artist myself, if your voice were to have painted a picture, it would've been an exquisite landscape full of galloping horses in a field of dandelions - whilst flocks of birds filled the sky as they migrated."

"Putting aside Inari's  _weird_  analogies, that was totally amazing!" Futaba exclaimed, jumping over to Kasumi as she gave her another one of her hugs. "You sounded like a natural pop idol, just like Rise Kujikawa, or even Kanami Mashita!"

"Whoah.. You actually  _can_ sing! Can you get any more hotter?" Ryuji commented, unexpectedly receiving a slap to the back of his head by Makoto for his comment. Ryuji groaned. "Hey! I was just trying to give a compliment!"

"Regardless, you could be a  _little_ more subtle with your obnoxious flirting." Makoto retorted back.

"Hmph! Anyway, why don't you join our band?" Ryuji asked Kasumi. "We could use a couple more singers. Actually, you can sing lead while the others do back-up! Whaddya say?"

"I think she'd make a great addition. With her musical experience, she'd make an invaluable asset to our band." Ren added in. He turned over to Ann. "What do you think?"

"Ohh.. uh.. Yeah, definitely! We would love to have you sing with us, Kasumi!" Ann answered in a cheerful tone. In reality, she had to force out her excitement, as she felt a bit reluctant with Kasumi joining their group, seeing as how easily triggered she could be in her temper. Ann was also concerned about Kasumi taking the lead role of the main vocals when Ryuji had already promised her the part.

"Uhm… I'm not sure. This is  _your_ group's issue, and it'd feel weird if I suddenly took over and offered my help." Kasumi commented. Out of nowhere, Ryuji went on his knees and began to beg Kasumi to reconsider.

"PLEASE! We  _need_ your talents if we're ever gonna have a shot at seeing Rise Kujikawa up close!" Ryuji pleaded, clasping his hands together in fists as he shook them.

Kasumi was surprised, and felt even more awkward with the group basically demanding for her talents. "Huh? A-Alright! I'll help you guys out for a bit!? Just stop beggin' me! Besides, you're making yourself look like a fool, Ryuji-san!"

"Whoo! You're freakin' awesome, Kasumi-chan!" Ryuji stated, immediately shifting his tone as he pumped his fist in victory. "Awwwh yeah! With Kasumi's super singing skills, we've got a chance at winning this competition and meeting Rise Kujikawa! Heheh oh man, I bet she's a total beauty in person!"

"Uggh… I forgot the only reason Ryuji wanted to do this was to meet Rise.." Futaba shook her head and shrugged. "Well, it helps that I'm also a huge fan! Plus we get to spend more time together for the remainder of our summer break! And with the additional incentive of Kasumi joining us too! This just couldn't get any better!"

Morgana noted the group's excitement for the weeks coming. They had to put in all their focus in practicing in order to sound good enough to win the music competition at the festival. With the help of Kasumi and her musical experience, the group felt a newfound motivation to build upon.

As the team prepared to practice downstairs, Morgana noted Ann's unusual lack of energy as she sat down and gave off a bothered expression on her face.

_Lady Ann… Hmm… I wonder what's on her mind?_

* * *

…

* * *

The group had practiced for a couple hours in Haru's basement. As Kasumi had expected, the group's musical talent was a mess, save for Ren's guitar playing and Haru's piano abilities. She had to give credit for Ann's vocal talent as she was able to sing in tune and gave a gentle and unique tone in her voice. With Makoto, she could only sing if given the correct notes beforehand and was unable to harmonize by herself. Yusuke kept on playing either too fast or too slow on the bass, and Ryuji kept dropping his drum sticks and played  _far_  too intensive.

"Ryuji! You need to calm down and keep a constant rhythm. And haven't you heard of dynamics? You can't always play too loud, or else you'll drown out the rest of the instruments!" Kasumi lectured Ryuji.

"Sorry! I'm still getting used to coordinating my hands and feet. It feels weird having to swing these drumsticks around while using my feet to step on the pedal." Ryuji explained.

"Yusuke! You're not playing the correct notes. Your fingering is all over the place on the frets." Kasumi went over to Yusuke as she guide his fingers and reminded him of the chord progression. "You're simply the bass and provide the foundation of the sound at the bottom of the harmony, so you won't have to do too much. But without you, the overall tone will sound empty, so you need to be sure you hit those notes correctly."

"I see. This is exactly like painting. With the bass guitar serving as the background colours to provide the foundation of the canvas itself as it helps to exemplify the additional details drawn on top of it." Yusuke commented as he reviewed his notes.

"You're doing fine with singing the notes I gave you, Makoto. Just try to be more confident and it'll help our harmonies pop out more." Kasumi encouraged.

"Really? That's nice of you to say, Kasum. But I'm afraid of overpowering you and Ann and end up singing the wrong notes." Makoto explained, surprised by the praise Kasumi had given her.

"Geez, Kasumi-chan is  _really_  grilling it onto everyone else." Morgana commented over to Haru as he sat beside her on the piano bench.

"True, I'll admit, she is a little intense on her delivery. But Kasumi-chan appears to be very wise in her musical expertise and seems to know  _exactly_  what's needed for our group to bring out the best of our abilities." Haru added.

Morgana agreed as he listened to Ren and Haru converse. Kasumi may have angered easily, but when appointed a task, she seemed to be able to take the correct initiative and worked diligently to ensure all the parts were in play correctly.

_Futaba mentioned earlier that Kasumi is also really smart in her classes.. Maybe we haven't given her enough credit as is._ Morgana pondered, continuing to watch Kasumi review a couple thing with Ren's lead guitar parts.

"Amamiya-san, you're doing really good! I love the way that you're able to adapt easily to the chord progression and dynamics in order to help keep the overall sound balanced!" Kasumi complimented. Ren nodded and thanked Kasumi for her kind words. Off to the side, Morgana noticed Ann watch the two of them continue to converse a bit longer than necessary and decided to step in.

"Uhmm.. Hey Kasumi! Why don't we go over the harmonies once more? I'm still a little unsure about my singing parts, heheh." Ann jumped into their conversation, attempting to divert Kasumi's focus off from Ren and back to their practice.

"Actually, I think we've practiced enough for our first day!" Futaba announced, gazing over to the clock on the wall as she realized dinner was fast approaching. "Why don't we eat? My stomach has been grumbling ever since Kasumi started teaching about transposition and time signatures to everyone."

"That sounds delightful! I believe dinner preparations should be completed by now. Let us eat!" Haru agreed, directing the rest of the Phantom Thieves upstairs to eat dinner. Even though Kasumi had them focus more on learning their own instruments and taught them about the basics of musical theory before actually practicing the song in full, everyone felt a little more comfortable playing their instruments. With more than a week left over to practice, the group would have plenty of time to put in what they learned together as a group and actually practice as a real band.

After packing up their instruments to the side, the group went upstairs and indulged in a sushi buffet prepared by Haru's assistants in her home. They took a moment to catch up and simply hang out as friends once more after a long time separated during the first half of their summer break. Kasumi managed to easily adapt to their group and began opening up to them more about her studies and recreational activities, although she chose not to talk about her family matters for the meantime.

"You do gymnastics as well? Does that mean… You have to wear one of those bathing suit thingies?!" Ryuji's heart raced as he imagined Kasumi wearing the outfits gymnasts wore, especially thinking about how it would emphasize Kasumi's legs and curvature of her body.

"The correct term is leotard. And yes, I've been doing gymnastics since I was a kid when my parents made me join." Kasumi explained.

The others had been showing interest in getting to know Kasumi more - with Yusuke asking more about her musical arts background, Makoto intrigued on her possible career choices and Haru relating to Kasumi's dance background as they both happened to take ballet classes.

_Wow… Kasumi is already fitting in with the rest of the group.. It feels as if she's been with us the whole time._ Morgana thought to himself as he continued listening to their conversations jump back and forth between a variety of topics focused on Kasumi.

After a while, Kasumi ended up getting a phone call and dismissed herself, stepping outside to the backyard patio as the group continued their conversation.

"So Ann! How was filming your Feathermen movie!? You must be  _real_ good friends with Yukari Takeba, huh?" Ryuji asked. "Dude, she's  _soo_ hot when she's in that Pink Argus suit. I'd let her shoot arrows at me all day if she asked."

"I'm not going to give you her number, Ryuji. And what you just said was totally creepy." Ann rolled her eyes. Ryuji attempted to defend himself, but Ann immediately shut him up. "Anyway, filming was a total blast! I got to meet a whole bunch of new people during work!"

"Sweet! So when is your next acting gig? I'm sure you've got a whole lot more roles lined up for you now!" Futaba asked.

Ann hesitated for a moment, remembering the deal she made with Mika earlier that week about not accepting Yukari's offer if she didn't want the pictures of Tatsuya and her kissing at the park to leak out.

"Uhm… the Feathermen movie may be my one and  _only_  acting role," Ann explained, causing the rest of the group to give her a surprised look, given that Ann seemed so depressed before Ren went through all the trouble to convince Yukari to give her another chance at the role. Ann shrugged at their reaction. "I dunno, maybe I just didn't find it as exciting as I thought it would be."

"Damn, even when you got to wear those cools suits and hang out with the  _actual_ Featherman actors?" Ryuji commented. "Well, you got paid a lot for the movie, I presume, so I guess the experience didn't all go to waste."

"Did you guys notice where Kasumi went?" Ren brought up. The group had looked around, noticing that Kasumi was still absent from her seat. It had been almost half an hour since she left. Ren pushed himself out from his seat and headed to the patio where she had went off to. "I'll go check up on her."

Morgana watched as Ren exited the living room and went outside to where Kasumi was currently at. As the group began to clean up after their dinner, Morgana looked over to Ann and noted the same bothered look she had been giving the entire night ever since they arrived. Morgana was quick to connect the two together.

_No way.. Ren constantly looking out for Kasumi… Ann giving off these weird looks whenever he mentions her.. This only means one thing.. Lady Ann is jealous! Mweheheheh.. I can't believe it!_ Morgana chuckled to himself, finding slight amusement in the situation. Morgana took a moment to reflect why he found it funny. Was it because he had been in the same situation earlier when he found out about Ren and Ann's relationship a few months back?

"Hey, Ann.. You okay?" Haru went over to where Ann sat and put a hand on her shoulder, noting of her friend's worried look. Haru gave her a smile. "You should know already of Ren's nature. He's always so open to helping out others. Even to the point where he can be a bit pushy and stubborn about it. But his heart is in the right place."

"I know.. There's just been a lot on my mind lately that I guess I'm really blowing this whole thing with Kasumi out of proportion, heheh." Ann chuckled. She raised an eyebrow over to Haru. "Wait, how did you know what I was thinking about?"

"Let's just say, I've been in the same position like you with someone else. Except I've learned to accept it." Haru explained as she rubbed Ann's shoulder in empathy.

"Really? Who was it?" Ann asked.

"Heheh.. maybe I'll tell you for another time. Come one, let's help out with the dishes!"

As Ann and Haru joined the others with clean-up, Morgana took a moment to sneak over to the backyard patio. He squeezed through the glass doorways and noticed Ren with Kasumi, both leaning over the guardrail of the patio overlooking Haru's garden. The two had gotten into a deep conversation which Morgana eavesdropped on.

"I'm sure he means well.. Some parents show their love in different ways." Ren spoke.

"I know.. but he's always  _so_ strict and demands a lot from me. It's hard to keep up with those expectations." Kasumi further explained.

Morgana noted that she wiped away another tear - assuming that she had been crying earlier before Ren came out to talk to her.

"Kindness is something that a lot of people take for granted. We forget how powerful a small act of kindness can go for someone." Ren explained.

"Is.. is that why you've been talking to me a lot today? Why you were so pushy earlier when I kept rejecting you? Because you wanted to make sure I was alright?" Kasumi asked, seeing Ren nod. She ended up lowering her head and began to blush. "I see.. I just thought you were being weird. But can see that you were being kind. I guess I couldn't comprehend it since I haven't experienced that a lot myself, or have given that same kindness to anyone before. All I've learned was to be aggressive in my responses since that's how I've been treated."

"Hey, why don't you help me out tomorrow? I have a bunch of errands I need to finish before our next practice. Mind if you join me?" Ren asked.

"Huh? W-Why would I do that? I only just got to know you today and you're  _already_  asking way too much outta me, Amamiya-san!" Kasumi scoffed, turning her head away from him as she crossed her arms. "Besides.. You seem capable enough to handle errands yourself. Why should I help you out?"

"Because if you help me with my errands, I'll be your dance partner for your competition." Ren stood his ground.

His answer shocked both Morgana and Kasumi, as both of them gasped simultaneously.

_WHAAAAT!? Can he even dance?!_ Morgana thought to himself. He had never seen Ren dance before.. or at least, he never remembered seeing him do it personally. Regardless, Morgana couldn't believe the confidence Ren had in giving that offer to Kasumi.

"W-Whaat.. are you serious?" Kasumi stuttered, taking a moment to process what Ren told her. "Uhmm.. listen, I know that yesterday I called you a hippie who looked like he could dance, but I was only kidding! Do you even  _know_ how to dance? And won't you be too busy with your band practice with your friends?"

"I'll make time, no worries. And how hard can it be to learn choreography?" Ren said nonchalantly.

"Uggh… you're so stubborn." Kasumi breathed out, crossing her arms once more as she took a moment to glance back at Ren, only to suddenly feel butterflies in her stomach. Kasumi looked down and felt herself blush once again.

This feeling wasn't familiar to Kasumi. Why was she always so giddy when she was around with Ren? Kasumi only got to know him for the past few days.

But yet - she was feeling  _more_  than just a small bond between them.

Kasumi sighed. "Alright… I'll go along with you tomorrow. But don't think I'll go easy on you during dance practice. I won't tolerate mediocrity from you!"

"It's a deal then." Ren smiled, offering a handshake.

At first hesitant, Kasumi slowly lifted her hand and shook Ren's hand. She immediately felt a tingle as their hands touched.

"Ren, did anyone ever tell you how kind you are?" Kasumi asked, looking down in a shy manner. She giggled. "Heheh.. I hope I'm not being  _too_ straightforward.. but it's something that I really admire about you so far."

"Yeah.. I've been told that." Ren nodded.

He turned over back into Haru's home through the glass doorway and gazed among his friends as they continued cleaning up the kitchen. The only one Ren truly noticed was Ann as she washed the plates while enjoying conversation among her peers. Ren smiled. "To be honest, someone with a strong heart helped me understand the importance of this kindness I've learned to share with others."

Morgana took note of the current situation. Ann had been keeping an eye on both Ren and Kasumi the entire night, unsure of how to fathom the close bond they already began to grow.

Kasumi - at first, rejecting Ren's kind acts, slowly began to open up to him and ended up revealing a side of infatuation she never experienced before.

And Ren simply wanted to offer a helping hand to someone, unaware of how both girls were feeling about this current situation.

Morgana began to shake his head and sighed to himself.

_Ohh boy… Things are going to be a lot more complicated later on.. What are you getting yourself into, Ren?_

Unbeknownst to Morgana once again, a stone within his Spirit Amulet began to faintly shimmer as another attribute was beginning to reveal itself..

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	13. Confidant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren revisits old bonds in Tokyo - with Kasumi accompanying him. Ann confides with her troubles to Shiho, when a confrontation between her and Ren escalates."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drama - lot's of drama here. I realized how much of this I've been writing, but it'll eventually pay off in the coming chapters. Thanks for reading and hope y'all have a good week!

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 13: CONFIDANT**

* * *

 _**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Yongen-Jaya, Cafe Leblanc  
Morning** _

* * *

"Uhm.. good morning!" Kasumi called out as she entered the cafe. The smell of coffee and curry immediately hit her as she looked around, finding Cafe Leblanc empty at the moment. She had been messaged by Ren to meet her early in the morning once again in order to run his daily errands together. The duo had been at the routine for the past couple days after they made the deal back at Haru's – where Kasumi would help out with Ren's errands, while in return, Ren would help out with Kasumi's dance routine for the upcoming summer festival at Destinyland.

This was the first time Kasumi was inside Cafe Leblanc by herself, as Ren would usually be waiting outside by this time. She assumed Ren had slept in. As she waited, Sojiro walked out from the kitchen and noticed the girl at the entrance. Kasumi awkwardly waved over to the older man. "H-Hi! Uh, is Ren Amamiya here?"

"Yeah, he's upstairs, as usual." Sojiro replied. He took a moment to stare at Kasumi, whom he'd never seen before. Usually it'd be Ann that Sojiro would find early in the morning to greet him and ask where Ren was before he had moved back to Tokyo. Not wanting to assume anything, Sojiro went about his usual routine of warming up to a customer in his shop. "Mind if I make you a cup of coffee while you wait for him?"

"No need to, Sojiro. We're actually on our way out somewhere." Ren said, stepping out from the attic and nodded to Kasumi. "You ready?"

"Y-Yeah! I guess so." Kasumi replied. She waved Sojiro goodbye as she exited the cafe. Before Ren left with her, Sojiro called out to him.

"Hey Ren, how is Takamaki-san? I haven't seen her in awhile.." Sojiro asked, raising an eyebrow to him. Ren mentioned that she was doing well and was sleeping in this morning while he would be out doing his usual errands requested by some of his acquaintances in the city. Sojiro simply nodded. "Hmm.. alright. Well make sure to say hi to Takamaki-san for me."

"Will do." Ren replied, waving goodbye as he exited the cafe, catching up to Kasumi as she waited for him outside. As the two began their way through Yongen-Jaya, Morgana peeked his head out of Ren's bag, having heard the entire conversation between him and Sojiro-san.

 _Oh boy… Even Sojiro can sense the suspicion about Ren and Kasumi.._ Morgana thought. Throughout the week, Morgana joined the duo on their errands and even he noticed how much closer Kasumi was becoming to Ren. He recalled to last night's conversation between Ren and Ann as they video chatted, further talking about Kasumi always being with Ren while he did his errands for the past few days. At first, Ann allowed it without much thought. But over the last couple of nights, she now began to express concern about the issue.

_**...** _

" _Mhmm… And you're sure she's simply interested in helping, nothing more, right?" Ann asked._

" _Yeah.. I realized that it was going to be a lot of work with one person running around the city, so I'd figure to have someone accompany me. Plus it will help her see the kindness one can bring to others." Ren explained. "Does it bother you, Ann?"_

" _Uhm.. no, of course not! You're just helping Kasumi open her heart to others more. Why would I be bothered by that. eheh." Ann forced a smile. In reality, she was a bit worried about Kasumi spending so much time with Ren for the last couple of days. She understood that her boyfriend was looking out for someone else in their time of need, but she had to admit, Ann felt a bit jealous of how close Kasumi was already becoming with him._

" _Ann, if it really worries you, please let tell me. I know how weird it might be for you to see me hang out with another girl and all." Ren insisted. "Especially with me helping with Kasumi's dance routine every night after our band practices."_

" _N-No! I mean, it's okay! I'm like, soo okay with it! You guys just keep having fun, m'kay!" Ann said. She hastily blew Ren a good night kiss and quickly ended the call. Ann sighed and gently threw her phone to the foot of her bed, laying down as she took her pillow and stuffed it on top of her face as she let out a muffled scream._

_Ann was definitely not okay with this situation. But she didn't want to be the clingy, jealous girlfriend knowing full well that she had nothing to worry about._

" _Uggggh… Dang it, Ren.. Why do you have such a big, kind heart that it just naturally attracts others around you?" Ann groaned to herself._

**_..._ **

"So.. the first person we'll be helping out for today is your… old teacher?" Kasumi asked. Ren nodded, knowing that she was referring to Sadayo Kawakami.

The duo arrived at Shujin Academy - although they couldn't help but feel weird to come to school during summer break. Kawakami had requested Ren to come over to school to help unpackage and organize a new batch of textbooks in her classroom. Ren and Kasumi climbed up the stairs to Kawakami's classroom, while Morgana rested in his bag.

"Ahh! Amamiya-san! It's great to see you!" Kawakami greeted him as they entered her homeroom. She turned over to Kasumi and immediately recognized her. "Oh, and Yoshizawa-san! I didn't expect to see you here, as well."

"Me neither, heheh. Ren dragged me all the way over here." Kasumi playfully punched him. Morgana noted this and silently growled.

_What! Hey! Kasumi! You can't punch Ren like that! Only Lady Ann can!_

As Kawakami directed them over to the large table where the new textbooks were, she began to catch up with Ren and asked how he was doing back home in Kyoto. Ren explained that everything was great with his parents and that he readjusted easily back into Horikawa High School. Kawakami was pleased to hear that Ren was doing well, and admitted that he missed seeing him in her classes.

"You know, Kasumi, last year I was in tight spot, but Ren was always there to talk to me whenever I was feeling down. Even when I was admitted to the hospital, Ren came all the way to check up on me." Kawakami explained as she piled a couple of the textbooks and began carrying them over to her desk to sort out.

"Ohh.. I didn't know that you two were  _that_ close.." Kasumi commented. He looked over to Ren, who was unboxing another package with textbooks relating to microbiology. Even Ren didn't allow the formal barriers of a student and teacher to get in the way of showing kindness. Kasumi couldn't help but smile at the thought of Ren checking up on Kawakami in her time of need.

On top of the shelves, Morgana stared down at Kasumi as he noticed her taking a couple quick glances at Ren every so often.  _You better keep your eyes off him, Kasumi!_

"Thanks again for your help, Amamiya-san! And you too, Yoshizawa-san!" Kawakami waved farewell to them as the duo walked down the stairs of Shujin Academy. "And don't be a stranger! My classroom doors will always be open for you!"

"That was nice. I really enjoyed helping out Kawakami-san." Kasumi commented, turning over to Ren as she smiled. "I feel like you're among her favourite students, heheh."

"Something like that." Ren replied, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He looked over to his phone and got a notification from Chihuya asking when he'll be arriving to help out. She motioned Kasumi to follow him. "We should hurry, or we'll miss our train to Shinjuku."

"Huh! Shinjuku? But isn't that place like…  _really_ shady?" Kasumi replied. Ren shrugged and assured that he would protect her. Kasumi immediately blushed as she noted Ren's chivalry. "Ohh… okay.. Yeah.. I guess knowing that you'll be by my side will make me more comfortable going there."

 _Nuh-uh! Back it up! Back it up! Ren didn't mean it like that, Kasumi! You've got it all wrong!_ Morgana shook his head. Ren wasn't even trying to be smooth with her – it was if his natural charm was flowing out without his knowledge.  _Damnit, Ren! Be careful with your words! She's going to start having feelings for you now!_

As the duo went over to the station and boarded the next train to Shinjuku, Kasumi asked if she could sit beside Ren, who agreed. Morgana peeked his head out of Ren's bag and was baffled at the sight.

 _Ugggghh! Doesn't this girl understand personal space!? She's getting way too close! Sorry Kasumi, but this space is reserved for Lady Ann!_ Morgana gritted his teeth watching as Kasumi initiated conversation with Ren. He looked around the train and how spacious it appeared.  _Doesn't she see all the empty seats around us? Kasumi just had to pick the spot directly beside Ren._

The duo soon arrived at Shinjuku and made their way to the fortune-teller's booth. Chihuya excitedly greeted Ren after not seeing him for awhile, then gave a surprised look to Kasumi.

"Ohh, Amamiya-san.. I didn't foretell your girlfriend to have red hair. Unless she dyed it from her platinum blonde hair.." Chihuya commented.

"G-Girlfriend!?" Kasumi stuttered, blushing once more in embarrassment.

"She's just a friend, Chihuya-san." Ren corrected her.

 _HAHAH! Take that! Kasumi! Taste the power of the friend-zone!_ Morgana chuckled.

"Oh, my bad! Hehe, anyway, it's good to see again, Amamiya-san!" Chihuya exclaimed. As the duo caught up, Chihuya went through her bag and took out an envelope with a letter written inside and handed it over to Ren, saying that her recipient would be waiting around the church in Kanda. "I really appreciate you for making the delivery, Ren! I'd do it myself, but I'm stuck here attending to my business as usual."

"What's the letter for?" Kasumi asked, staring curiously at the envelope in Ren's hands.

"It's simply a letter of encouragement to one of my clients. I added this type of service to my fortune-telling business to keep my clients motivated in their time of need." Chihuya exclaimed. She pointed over to Ren. "I was actually inspired by this guy. You see, he's been kind enough to have helped me a couple months ago when I was struggling with my own problems. But Ren was always there to help me out when needed. I figured I could also return the favour to others in some way other than my fortune telling and figured I'd write letters to keep my clients happy as we await their fortunes to come true!"

"Ohh… I see." Kasumi looked over to Ren once again and smiled, happy to hear more of his kind works that he'd done in the past. The more stories she'd hear about how Ren helped others, the more inspired Kasumi became.

Morgana looked over to and noticed Kasumi beaming over to Ren once again and rolled his eyes.

_Wondering what your fortune is, Kasumi? Well, it's definitely not going to end up being with Ren, that's for sure! And I'll make sure to keep it that way!_

As the duo bid Chihuya farewell, Ren and Kasumi took the next train over to Kanda. Arriving at the church, the group noticed a middle-aged woman fitting the description of Chihuya's client. They verified if she knew Chihuya, which the woman confirmed, and gave the envelope to her as she happily accepted it and walked away.

"Come on, the next person we have to help out is inside." Ren motioned Kasumi to follow him.

Kasumi nodded, curious to who would be Ren's next friend that they would be helping. As they entered the church, the duo went over to the bench closest to the front of the altar and came over to a girl with long, dark hair with bangs, dark green eyes and red hair accessory. Kasumi had to hold in her excitement as she grabbed Ren's arm in restraint. "W-Wait a minute! Isn't this the famous shogi player, Hifumi Togo!?"

"Greetings, Amamiya-san. Glad that you could make it to our practice session. It's been way too long." Hifumi greeted her. Beside her on the bench laid a shogi board already set up for a match. Hifumi turned over to Kasumi. "Oh.. Is this.. your girlfriend?"

 _FRIEND! She is only a friend!? Dammit Ren, you better correct her!_ Morgana had to stuff his head back into Ren's bag as he internally shouted, frustrated from how so many people kept assuming Ren and Kasumi were together.

"O-Of course not! I'm just here to help Ren do a couple errands for today!" Kasumi corrected.

"She's just a friend, Hifumi." Ren answered without hesitation, much to Morgana's relief.

Hifumi nodded and invited Kasumi to watch her practice session match against Ren. Taking a seat behind them, Kasumi watched as Ren and Hifumi went through a couple shogi matches. Ren managed to pull off one or two moves that caught Hifumi off-guard, but most of the time it was highly one-sided as Hifumi accomplished the most complex strategies against Ren.

Kasumi yelped in glee every time Hifumi won. "Oh my! I wasn't expecting that move at all! You're too good, Hifumi-san!"

"Seems like you've still got it. You're not a professional for nothin' Hifumi-san." Ren said.

"Why thank you. Ever since I've begun playing in the pro leagues, I've ensured to practice everyday for about an hour or two. I appreciate you for filling in my practice schedule, Amamiya-san." Hifumi said with gratitude. She turned over to Kasumi. "I'm not sure if you knew this, but Amamiya-san helped me last year when I was having doubts about pursuing a professional career. His belief in my abilities gave me the confidence to do what I love."

"I wouldn't be surprised. Ren just seems to have that natural kindness to help others." Kasumi complimented, looking over to Ren once more and feeling butterflies tingling in her. This guy she had just met literally a couple days ago seemed to be so selfless and genuinely wanted to help out his friends - even with the smallest of tasks. The entire week she was able to learn the many acts of kindness Ren had offered in the past and still provided to this day.

It was at this moment that Kasumi realized that she was beginning to have feelings for Ren.

As the duo left the church to take a break and eat out for a bit, Morgana could only give an ominous glare at Kasumi from within Ren's bag.

_Grr… Lady Ann should've been the one to help out Ren the whole day.. I wonder how she's doing right now.. The poor girl must be distraught knowing her man is being stolen from her right this second!_

* * *

_**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Harajuku, Takenoko Street  
Afternoon** _

* * *

"Alright! That's a wrap! Thanks for being the model of our photoshoot today, Takamaki-san!"

Ann waved farewell to the camera crew as they packed up their equipment and headed out of the busy Takenoko Street. She had just finished modelling for the agency and had the rest of the day to spend as she pleased. At the moment, she decided to walk around the bustling shopping district of Harajuku – which was a bright and famous hangout for young adults that offered many unique shops and restaurants to spend with friends, family, or couples.

 _But right now.. I am alone._ Ann thought to herself as she walked by her lonesome, passing by the various groups of people. She sighed, wishing that she was with Ren at the moment to hang out. She understood that he had other commitments to attend to with a couple old acquaintance for the last few days. In normal circumstances, Ann would have been fine with this.

Except for the fact that Kasumi was with him every day he went out.

 _I shouldn't get jealous.. right? We both agreed that this would be a good opportunity for someone to get to know Kasumi and allow her to be more comfortable with other people._ Ann pondered. She totally would have went with Ren to keep an eye on him, but due to her prior commitment with the many photoshoots her agency had set up for the entire week, Ann was unable to do so. She would've asked the others, such as Ryuji or Futaba, to keep an eye on them, but Ann realized how embarrassing it would have been to ask someone to spy on her boyfriend.

_You just gotta have trust.. Ren is a loyal man.. It's Kasumi I have to worry about._

"Takamaki-san?" a voice called out from behind her. Ann's heart skipped a beat as she instantly recognized the voice. She quickly turned around and almost screamed in joy at the person standing in front of her.

"Oh my gooosh! Shihooo!" Ann exclaimed. She immediately ran up to her best friend and attacked her with a hug, almost causing the both of them to fall over. Ann took a moment to stare at her friend, noting Shiho's appearance, consisting of her usual black hair tied in a ponytail. Instead of her school uniform, Shiho was wearing a more casual attire that complimented her active lifestyle - consisting of a white zip up sports jacket with a black stripe design on the sides, black stylish yoga pants and white running sneakers.

"It's such a delight to see you again, Ann!" Shiho happily replied, with Ann's embrace still tight around her friend. "You look amazing, as always. How have you been?"

"So much better, now that I am with you!" Ann exclaimed. Shiho gave a look of concern from her best friend's statement. Ann responded with an embarrassed look. "Ehehe… A lot has been on mind recently. It's a bit complicated."

"I see.. Boyfriend issues?" Shiho guessed, causing a surprised look from Ann. Shiho giggled. "Ann, you're very easy to read! Why don't we find a spot to talk for a bit? I'd love to know what you've been up to."

Ann nodded, eagerly wrapping an arm around Shiho's as the girls went over to a small cafe within Takenoko street and began to catch up within their lives.

Ever since Shiho transferred due to the Kamoshida incident, she had been take slow, but powerful strides in recovering her life. Shiho talked about her current studies at the new school she enrolled in last year. She began taking interest in kinesiology and began focusing her credits for the required university courses. Along with her newfound purpose, Shiho managed to make it into her varsity volleyball team and became one of their main starting rosters.

Eventually, the focus of their conversation turned to Ann, who began explaining about her various modelling gigs, as well as her experience with meeting Yukari Takeba and her journey to landing her supervillian role as Panther on the Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory television movie, which was now set to broadcast later that year in November. Ann also explained about the music festival coming up at the end of the month and how she and her friends began practicing in order to win and meet Rise Kujikawa.

"Wow, Takamaki-san! You've been busy since I was gone!" Shiho smiled.

"Well, I did promise you that I'd work hard on strengthening my heart and being a good role model for others." Ann replied. Her mood immediately brightened just by the presence of Shiho. Ann grasped Shiho's hand and asked her a serious question. "So.. found anyone special in your life yet?"

"Now that you mention it… yes I did." Shiho replied. Her response almost caused Ann to fall back in her seat as she began to freak out in her seat. "Takamaki-san! Please stay calm! Everyone is looking at us in the cafe!"

"WHAT! How the  _hell_ am I supposed to stay calm knowing that you've got a boyfriend, eeeeeeh!" Ann yelped in joy. She immediately leaned closer and began pestering Shiho with more questions. "So who is he? What does he do? Is he cute? Does he treat you well? Does he love to eat krepes?"

"Uhm… Ken Amada." Shiho simply answered, already overwhelmed by Ann's onslaught of questions. Ann listened intently as Shiho explained about her new boyfriend. "We met in one of my classes a couple weeks after I transferred. We started talking to each other and began sharing our interests in sports, with me talking about volleyball while he talked about soccer. I guess we naturally clicked and began showing interest in one another when we kept showing up at each other's respective games."

"Awwwwwwh! That is  _soo_ adorable!" Ann gushed loudly once more, causing everyone else in the cafe to look at the girls once more, albeit in an annoyed manner. Shiho apologized to them while Ann continued. "So! When do I get to meet the lucky guy?"

"Now that you mention it, Ken and I were planning on going to the park for a picnic date before summer ended. Why don't you come along with us with your boyfriend, Takamaki-san?" Shiho suggested. "You're still dating Ren Amamiya right? I'd love to catch up with him too."

"Ohh.. well, that might be tough." Ann leaned back in her seat.

"Oh no… Did he break up with you?" Shiho gasped.

"N-No! Of course not! Just right now.. He's been busy helping out with someone else." Ann's voiced trailed off. Shiho immediately sensed Ann's worry and assured her best friend that she could lay down every thing to her. Ann sighed and began to explain. "You see, we've met this new girl, Kasumi Yoshizawa. And already it feels like she's been getting  _way_ too clingy towards Ren. For the past few days, they've been hanging out all the time while they go around the city helping out Ren's friends. Heck – she's even asked Ren to be her dance partner at the same festival our band is going to be attending!"

"Awwh, Ann, it's okay to be jealous." Shiho attempted to comfort Ann.

"Huh- I'm not jealous!" Ann defended herself, feeling herself turn red at the accusation. She took a moment to calm down. "Like.. Okay maybe a little, but I can't really get mad at Ren! He's only hanging out with her out of kindness since she's been going through a lot and hasn't had the opportunity to make new friends other than Futaba."

"Then why are you worried, Ann? You can trust Ren, right?" Shiho helped rationalize with Ren's behaviour. Ann nodded, but still expressed worry about Kasumi making a move. Taking a moment to think, Shiho began to give her thoughts. "Ann, for the entire time you helped me through my rehabilitation last year, all you could talk about was how Ren was so kind and open to helping others – including you and myself. And he didn't limit his kindness to his close friends, right? He pursued opportunities with others and gave his time to listen and attend to whatever needs they required in order to strengthen their bonds. Now what makes Kasumi Yoshizawa different from them?"

Ann took a moment to process Shiho's words and agreed. If Ren saw a need in Kasumi's heart, it was his natural duty to attend to it. Ren wasn't the type to leave out anyone who was going through a struggle. Ann reminded herself of the many stories Ren told about how he enjoyed building bonds with a diversity of individuals – including a washed-up politician, a back-alley doctor, even a little boy who enjoyed going to the arcade. Ren was able to see their needs and show them the kindness and support they required.

"You're right, Shiho. Ren has such a big heart in helping others. It's one of the main reasons why I fell in love with him in the first place.." Ann sighed. She suddenly noted Shiho giggling, causing Ann to blush in embarrassment. "W-What!? It's true! That's why I love Ren! Am I not allowed to express it so nonchalantly like that?"

"Heheh, you're definitely allowed to, Ann! It's just really cute when you say it." Shiho teased. "Oh my.. Ren must be lucky to have someone so dedicated to him."

Ann and Shiho continued catching up at the cafe within Takenoko Street. Eventually the sun began to set among the city. Realizing what time it was, Ann decided to head over to Haru's home to for their band practice. Wanting to spend more time with Shiho, Ann decided to invite her over and hangout with them as they practiced.

"Ohh… Would that be okay? To be honest, I'm a little shy." Shiho expressed. "Besides Ren and maybe Ryuji, I don't really know anyone there."

"No worries! They're all really nice! You'll fit in easily!" Ann exclaimed.

Taking Shiho's hand, she guided both of them out of Takenoko Street and headed their way to Haru's home.

* * *

 _**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Okumura Residence  
Evening** _

* * *

It was another loud and busy night at the Okumura Residence as the Phantom Thieves resumed practice in Haru's basement. With the leadership of Kasumi helping them to hone their musicality for the past week, each of them began improving upon their instruments and vocals. Ryuji slowly began maintaining the same tempo on drums, whilst Yusuke was able to play the correct notes on bass. Ann and Makoto were feeling more comfortable with the harmonies suggested by Kasumi, while Ren and Haru continued to adapt with ease due to their prior musical experience.

"Yeeeess! Everything is sounding awesome!" Futaba exclaimed, sitting near the corner of the basement while Shiho accompanied her. Futaba managed to program her laptop to the various monitors connecting to the instrument and created her own software to help balance the sound remotely. As she used her headphones to listen, she was able to give recommendations to the group in order to help their overall tone sound better.

"You guys really sound like an actual modern pop band! I'd totally buy your album if you guys made one." Shiho complimented, giving the rest of the group an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"Whooooo! Looks like we've got our first fan!" Ryuji exclaimed, pumping his fists into the air as he gained a burst of motivation from Shiho's comment. With their current progress, the Phantom Thieves would obliterate the competition at the music festival. Ryuji began to daydream on winning and finally meeting Rise Kujikawa. "Ohhhh man… Imagine all the girls going crazy over our sick vocals! And Rise.. she'll totally fall head-over-heels for me. Uggh.. I mean,  _our_ band!"

"Nice save, Ryuji.." Makoto rolled his eyes at his comment. "Anyway, I'll admit – from the progress we've made these last few days, we definitely sound a lot better than the first time. We might actually have a shot at winning the musical competition if we keep it up!"

"Speaking of, what name shall we claim for our band?" Yusuke brought up. "In case we hit it big, we'll need a name for the audience to remember us by. Just as a painting requires an identity to illustrate its theme - our band should have a name befitting to us."

"Good idea, Inari!" Futaba replied enthusiastically. "I was thinking… The Fabulous Futaba and Friends!"

"That's a terrible idea! You're not even in the band!" Ryuji argued back. A huge grin covered his face as an idea popped into his mind. "Ooooh! I've got it! What if we call ourselves… THE PHANTOM ROCKSTARS?!"

"Phantom Rockstars..? Is that like, a nod to those infamous Phantom Thieves last year?" Kasumi asked. The rest of the group hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Kasumi sighed. "I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of the name, or to be more specific – a fan of those Phantom Thieves."

"The hell? Why not?" Ryuji suddenly stood up and began to argue back. The rest of the group could only shake their heads, realizing where the conversation was now escalating to. "Don't you think those Phantom Thieves were heroic last year? They saved the entire city from befalling upon a power-hungry god! That deserves like, the highest of respect in my book!"

"Maybe.. but look at what happened to society itself. They relied too much on the Phantom Thieves actions to fix their own problems, when in reality, they should've stood up for themselves and find a solution on their own." Kasumi expressed. She looked down and took a moment to reflect on her own ideals. "When you end up relying on the help on others.. And they turn you down… You only have yourself to blame. That's why we need to be independent… Otherwise we all just end up getting hurt in the end."

The rest of the group watched as Kasumi excused herself and made her way upstairs to have a moment. Noting her worried look, Ren immediately set down his guitar and pursued Kasumi upstairs. The group remained in silence for a moment, wondering what was happening with Kasumi.

"Dang it! Ryuji! Why can't you keep your mouth shut for once? It's like you have no filter whatsoever" Futaba began to argue.

"Hey! I was trying to defend our name!" Ryuji yelled back. The two began to argue while Makoto and Haru attempted to calm them down.

 _Uggh… Can't he keep his damn mouth shut for five minutes?_ Morgana pondered. As he began making his way upstairs to check up on the duo, he noted Ann's expression – which was filled with conflict by the sight of her boyfriend chasing after another girl without hesitation. Ann ended up walking over to the corner where Shiho was sitting.  _Poor Lady Ann.. I'm sure it isn't how it looks._

Morgana made his way upstairs and headed to the backyard patio where Ren and Kasumi were talking once again. Morgana ensured he wasn't spotted as he hid behind the trash can near the open glass doors to listen to their conversation.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to just go out and leave like that." Kasumi apologized. Morgana could hear that she was sniffling through tears, all while Ren attempted to comfort her.

"Hey.. It's alright. They just don't know what you've been through yet.." Ren assured her.

Kasumi smiled. Such simple words, but they were enough to make her feel better.

"Ren-kun.. Do you mind if we leave early? I need to get my mind off things.. We've done as much as we can for tonight's practice and the band has already made lots of progress in the last couple days." Kasumi asked, taking a step closer to Ren. "Why don't we head over to the dance studio? It's the only place I can truly get away from my problems. Especially knowing that you'll be there with me."

Ren took a moment to think about her request. He could sense that Kasumi didn't want to talk about her current issue for the meantime and needed a different activity to relieve her mind. And Ren did make a deal that if Kasumi helped with his errands and band, that he'd be her partner for the dance competition at the summer festival. Ren nodded. "Uhm.. alright. Let me just pack up my things and we can head out for practice."

"Thanks Ren.. As always.. I appreciate your kindness.." Kasumi expressed.

Morgana watched as Ren led Kasumi over to the front doors of Haru's as she slipped on her shoes and went outside. Ren told her to wait and began making his way back to the basement when Ann suddenly came up and almost bumped into Ren as he was in a hurry.

"Ohh.. Hey.. How's Kasumi?" Ann asked.

"She's fine.. Uhmm, if it's alright with you, we're gonna be heading out early. She needs to get her mind off things for now." Ren explained. He noted Ann's disappointed look and tried to explain. "Look, I know the timing is bad.. but Kasumi needs someone to look out for her. We're gonna be heading to the studio to work on her dance routine again. Is that okay with you?"

"I get it Ren.. You're looking out for Kasumi, that's what you're known for, right? Being the helping hand that never hesitates to reach out to others." Ann expressed. She sighed, at first hesitant if she wanted to say anything. Taking a moment, Ann decided to give Ren a piece of her mind. "But.. don't you think you're going over boundaries? I mean, let's recall what she said a couple minutes ago. Kasumi  _literally_  expressed that she looks down upon others who call out for help. Yet she's doing the exact opposite of what she disagrees with by asking  _you_  to help her with her  _own_  issues."

"Kasumi's just confused.. She needs someone to help direct her heart to the right place. And I feel like I'm getting closer to that goal. Yes, right now she may mean what she said about being independent, but her recent actions show that she's open to exploring the idea she currently opposes." Ren tried to defend Kasumi. He raised an eyebrow to Ann. "I thought you told me that you weren't bothered by me trying to help Kasumi.. We agreed that this would help show her the kindness she never got from her father, right?"

"Ughh.. I-I know! But.. just seeing the way she's always clinging onto you for help. And the way she's been looking at you during the last couple practices. I'm not blind when I know a girl is pining over a guy." Ann explained. Her heart began to pound faster as a whole rush of emotions began to overwhelm her head. "Babe… I know you're super kind.. And that's what makes you so special to me.. But you also need to establish your limits as well. Otherwise people  _will_ take advantage of you. And the last thing I want is to lose you to someone else."

"Ann… You won't lose me.. I promise you that." Ren attempted to reassure her. But this time, his words had no effect on Ann as she crossed her arms and looked down in disbelief.

It was a recurring theme from Ren: always words, yet no action.

A moment of awkward silence filled the air between them. Ren attempted to talk to her. "Ann.. please.. speak to me."

"I want to believe your words. I really do. But these last couple days have been hard for me. Always knowing that you're with Kasumi every second. Dammit Ren! This whole week I've only gotten to see you during our band practices!" Ann suddenly let out. Her outburst caused Ren to take a step back. She had never yelled at Ren before.

Even Morgana, who was eavesdropping in the other room, almost jumped in surprise by Ann's sudden yelling.

_Ohh no… Lady Ann is really emotional right now.. What are you going to do Ren?_

Before Ren could say anything else, Kasumi opened the door and peeked in, looking over to Ren and Ann. "Uhm… Ren-kun? Sorry to be so hasty, but when are we leaving?"

"Just… go.. It's obvious she needs you  _more_  than you need me right now." Ann spoke. She immediately turned around and headed into the kitchen area, taking a seat as she needed a moment to calm herself down before she'd say anything she would regret.

Ren could only stand there, frozen in shock. He wanted to go over and attempt to comfort Ann, but his gut feeling told him this wasn't the best time.

"Let's go, Kasumi." Ren said. He walked over to the doorway and joined her.

As Ren closed the door, he took one final glance at Ann, catching a quick glimpse of his girlfriend wiping away a tear.

 _What the- Ren! You just walked away like it was nothing! How could you!?_ Morgana thought. He was about to head over to comfort Ann himself when someone else beat him to the punch.

"Ann?" Shiho's voice called from downstairs. The sound of her footsteps running up the stairs emitted into the kitchen as Shiho found Ann weeping at the table. Shiho immediately pulled up a chair and began to comfort her friend. "Oh Ann… I'm so sorry."

"Shiho… I was wrong… I.. I feel like I'm losing him." Ann cried, tucking her head into Shiho's shoulder as she was embraced by her friend. Her tears stained Shiho's jacket, but she didn't mind knowing that Ann needed her this very moment. "I.. I don't know what to do.. Am I being selfish? I just yelled at him without thinking and pushed him away.. And he just left!"

"Shh… It's okay, Ann.. I'm here for you." Shiho spoke in a gentle voice as she patted Ann's back. She knew she had to stay strong for Ann. Seeing her best friend conflicted in her own emotions also hurt Shiho, but she couldn't let Ann's heartbreak overwhelm her too. All Shiho could assume from their conversation was Ren had done something to hurt Ann. From her current knowledge, it definitely had to do with Ren spending too much of his time with Kasumi. Yet, Shiho believed that Ren still had pure intentions to help Kasumi's heart – but his ability to balance out his priorities was something he still needed to work on, as he began to neglect Ann's feelings in this case.

" _ **Feline! What the hell is going on in the real world?"**_ Caroline's voice suddenly echoed into Morgana's head, surprising him. Morgana had forgotten once again that she and Justine could communicate to him telepathically whenever they wanted.  _ **"What's going on with the Inmate and the Lover!?"**_

" _ **They just argued and are going through something right now.. Regardless, it's none of your business.."**_ Morgana communicated back.

" _ **It certainly is our business, Mona-chan."**_ Justine corrected.  _ **"Just as your friends began arguing, a huge wave of Shadows have appeared in the Spirit Temple where their bond is being protected."**_

" _ **What!? B-But how?"**_ Morgana questioned. He looked over back to Ann, who was still crying into Shiho's arms. The pain she was feeling over the jealousy of Ren and Kasumi – were they connected to the huge wave of Shadows that now appeared in the Spirit Temple and threatened to destroy their bond?  _ **"That sounds troubling.. Do you guys need my help right now?"**_

" _ **No need, Mona-chan! I'm here to help!"**_ Yukari's voice suddenly echoed into his mind. It seemed that Caroline and Justine had recruited Yukari's help for the time being, which relieved Morgana.  _ **"Listen Mona-chan, it seems that these Shadows are related to the pain and hurt that either Ren or Ann are going through at this moment. It makes sense, seeing as how this entire Spirit Temple is a cognition of their relationship. The twins and I will keep the Shadows at bay, but we're depending on you to help Ren and Ann mend their bond together."**_

" _ **Ohhhh great.. So I really am the guardian of their bond.."**_ Morgana shook his head.

It seemed that just when he thought he finally understood the concept of his Spirit Amulet and the Temple – a new element would present itself. If the Shadows currently attacking the temple got into the centre where Ren and Ann's bond was, would it mean that their relationship would be broken for good? Morgana could not take that chance. If he wanted to help keep Ren and Ann together and protect the Spirit Temple, he'd need to help them reconcile.

 _The attributes of_ _**joy** _ _,_ _**service** _ _and_ _**loyalty** _ _– If it wasn't for Ren and Ann's relationship, I would have never understood them.. Now's the time to put them to use._

Morgana scurried over to the girls and jumped into Ann's lap as he purred into her chest. His action caught Ann completely off-guard, but receiving his affection comforted her a little as she slowly wiped away her tears and began petting Morgana.

"Ohh.. Isn't that Ren's cat?" Shiho questioned. At first, she found it adorable that Ren's cat would comfort Ann, but then she realized that Ren went up and completely left his own pet. "Aww.. poor thing, Ren left him! How is he going to get home now?"

"Yeah.. His name is Morgana.. And no worries, He's totally independent and can take care of himself." Ann explained. She continued petting Morgana as he cuddled his head against's Ann's chest. Ann managed to let out a small smile. "Ohh, Mona-chan.. You always knew how to comfort a girl whenever she needed it."

"Ren still cares about you, Lady Ann.. He might not have shown it much these past couple of days, but don't forget all that you've been through so far. The joyful moments you've shared.. The times he's supported you.. Yes, right now he might be too busy helping someone else to realize the implications. But I believe in his loyalty for you. Just give him time to remember." Morgana reassured.

Ann was surprised by Morgana's comforting words of advice and took a moment to dwell on them.

"What did he say?" Shiho asked, noting Ann's expression had changed. As she did not have the cognition of Morgana speaking, all Shiho heard was the meowing of a cat.

"Ohh… He.. He just told me that everything will be okay." Ann explained.

"I see.. Ann, I'll make sure that everything will be okay with you and Ren!" Shiho assured, causing Ann to give her a look of curiosity. Shiho smiled. "Let me talk to Ren. Since you've helped me find the strength and comfort as I endured my rehabilitation last year – it's only fair for me to return the favour and help you in your struggle."

 _Oh boy… I wonder what Shiho has planned.._ Morgana pondered. He looked up to Ann and gave a gentle smile back to Shiho. Morgana could tell that she was grateful to have a best friend like Shiho who'd stick up for her in a time of need.

The trio took a moment to excuse themselves from Haru's home - telling everyone that practice would be done for tonight. Ann and Shiho soon left into the quiet streets of Tokyo to hang out some more that night, with Morgana cradled into Ann's arms as he continued to offer his presence of comfort for his love.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	14. Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren is held accountable by Shiho. As the dance festival approaches, Ren must establish his boundaries with Kasumi, and more importantly, fix his relationship with Ann."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello fellow reader! A small delay in posting up this newest chapter due to just coming back from a trip this past weekend. I'd figure this would be a good time to make an announcement on a new Persona 5 fic I'm writing up called "When You Became My World" - a light-hearted story focusing on the Phantom Thieves traveling around the world and focusing on two pairings, RyuHaru and ShuAnn! Keep an eye out for a release in August!
> 
> I'm also currently in the works of planning a Persona 5 x Pokemon fic, which will basically be a "reimagining" of the Persona 5 storyline, but with Pokemon! It'll be awhile until it releases, so I'll make sure to keep you guys updated for more information!
> 
> Anyway, thanks again for those who've been reading my fics so far! I appreciate your support! Bye for now!

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 14: DANCE**

* * *

 **\- AUGUST -**  
Tokyo, Japan  
Yongen-Jaya, Cafe Leblanc  
Early Morning

* * *

It was another morning within Cafe Leblanc. In the meantime, Ren was sitting by the counter eating the curry Sojiro made him for breakfast. Morgana had joined them as he relaxed on the stool next to Ren.

"So, how's your band coming along?" Sojiro asked. Ren simply nodded as he focused on his food. Their band had been making lots of progress for the past couple weeks. Ren felt confident that regardless if they won the competition to meet Rise Kujikawa, that they would perform exceptionally well and get the crowd rolling. Sojiro nodded. "That's good. And how about Takamaki-san? You two are still a thing, right? I just haven't seen her for a very long time."

Morgana looked over to Ren and noticed his hesitation to answer. Ever since their argument about Kasumi, Ren and Ann hadn't talked for awhile, evident by the fact that they didn't video chat for the last couple nights, as well as both keeping a distance from one another at practices.

"She's fine.. Her and I… are just going through something right now." Ren confessed.

"Hmmm.. so let me guess, you screwed up, huh?" Sojiro stated. Ren dropped his spoon into his plate of curry, surprised that Sojiro was bang on the buck. Sojiro gave out a light-hearted chuckle. "Listen, I've gone through my fair share of mess-ups with ladies, kid. I know the look of a man who screwed up. Take it from a guy who has experience though – whether she was right or wrong,  _always_ apologize. It's managed to work for me in most of my cases."

 _Geez.. I wonder how many times Sojiro screwed up in order to realize that fact._ Morgana rolled his eyes. He noted Ren's expression and could tell that he was thinking the same thing.

"I mean.. I'm not sure how to, Sojiro-san." Ren began. He scratched the back of his head as the entire situation was giving him a headache. "Things seem awkward between us. I can tell that she wants to speak to me - but I feel that it's not the right time yet. After what I've done without even realizing it, I'm not sure of the right words to say."

"Kid, there's never going to be a right time to apologize to a lady. It's the fact that we men are able to take courage and apologize to them in the first place that matters the most." Sojiro advised. "And don't think about the words. Just let out what your heart speaks. The best apologies come from the genuine cry of the heart."

 _Uggh… So cheesy.. But at the same time, Sojiro-san might be right._ Morgana pondered.

Just then, the door to Cafe Leblanc opened. The trio turned and found Shiho standing there by herself, much to Ren's surprise. Shiho waved and greeted them. "Hello there! Sojiro-san, correct? My name is Shiho Suzui. I came here to speak with Ren."

 _Uh oh. Looks like Ren's about to have it. Actually, this might be a little entertaining._ Morgana immediately jumped from his stool and went over by the entrance of the cafe and made himself comfortable on top of the antique piano that Haru had brought in a couple months back.

"Ahh, it's good to see you! Why don't I treat you to a cup of cappuccino. This guy will be paying for it." Sojiro offered, patting Ren's shoulders as he made his way to the other side of the counter to make a fresh batch of coffee.

"Why certainly! Thank you very much." Shiho replied in an upbeat tone. She quickly turned over and glared to Ren as she motioned him to one of the cafe's booths. "You and me need to talk. Now."

"S-Sure." Ren immediately complied, leaving his plate of curry on the counter as he went over and joined Shiho in the booths. Morgana noted of Ren's nervous demeanour as he sat down timidly, all while Shiho leaned onto the table and gave Ren an intimidating look.

 _Oooohoooh.. I'm sensing a sassy side of Shiho coming up!_ Morgana chuckled to himself. He began to listen to their conversation regarding the current issue between Ann, Ren and Kasumi.

"Ren-kun.. We've never really gotten the chance to talk and all.  _Sooo_.. I was wondering how you've been lately." Shiho asked, stilling giving the same intimidating glare at the boy. Ren hesitated for a moment, unsure if she was testing him or not. He had to choose his next words carefully.

"I'm.. doing alright, I guess?"

"That's lovely. Now, let's get down to business." Shiho began, just as Sojiro went over and set her cup of cappuccino in front of her.

Sojiro took a moment and nodded to Ren, as if to say that he would be praying for him - much to Ren's unease.

Shiho began to talk. "Ren-kun.. We both have something in common. We both truly love Ann with all our heart, yes?"

"Y-Yeah, of course! No doubt about it." Ren affirmed her.

"Good! Good! Now please help me understand then. Why have you been ignoring Ann for the last couple days?" Shiho asked, giving Ren a stern look. From Shiho's perspective, Ren had been completely avoiding Ann even at their practices. Everyday, Shiho had been hanging out with Ann in order to listen and comfort her friend while she let out her feelings about her current issue. "Ren-kun, I know that the last time you guys talked, it didn't end on the best note. But right now, she's waiting for you. Why won't you say anything to her?"

"I.. I guess I just don't know what to say." Ren began. He looked down and shook his head. This was the first time he'd ever been in this situation. With this being his first real relationship, Ren was unsure of the proper response to fix the issue he was having with Ann. "I just know that I never meant to hurt Ann."

"Ren-kun, I can sense the natural kindness you embody and understand that you truly have the drive to help others. And in Kasumi's case, it's great that you're looking out for her when no one else will take the initiative. But you  _need_  to establish your priorities as well." Shiho explained. "Ann is your  _girlfriend._ All she wants is your love and affection. And I know you are fully capable of doing so from the many gestures you've done for her in the past few months. But honestly, they've been lacking recently. She misses your kind heart, Ren."

"Yes… You're right." Ren agreed. He had expected a proper scolding from Shiho, but Ren could also sense the kindness she offered. Shiho genuinely wanted the couple to make amends. But she was limited on her own efforts. The only way the issue would be resolved was for both parties to talk to each other. And none of that would be possible unless Ren took the initiative. "Thanks for helping me reflect on what I should do, Shiho. Ann is really lucky to have a friend who cares so much about her."

"And Ann is blessed to have such a dedicated man like you, Ren-kun. Please.. remind her of that." Shiho stated, giving Ren a smile before she got up from the booth. "Listen, when you two finally make up – because I definitely believe that you guys will, I was thinking that maybe we all could go out on a double date before summer break ends?"

"Yeah.. sounds like a plan." Ren smiled back. He took a moment to process what Shiho was implying. "Wait, you also have a boyfriend? Who is it?"

"His name is Ken Amada. He's been looking forward to meeting the both of you." Shiho winked. She took a moment to say goodbye to Sojiro, thanking him for the coffee. Shiho also petted Morgana's head on her way out. "Awwh, have I mentioned that you're such a cute little kitty?"

 _The cutest of them all! And just wait until I become human. I'm gonna look gorgeous!_ Morgana thought to himself. As Shiho walked out of Cafe Leblanc, Morgana turned over to Ren, seeing as the boy was in deep thought. With the encouraging words of Shiho, Ren now had the confidence to fix things with Ann.

Morgana spoke up to his friend. "So, what's your next move?"

Ren nodded over to him. "First, I'm going to need to speak to Kasumi. And establish the boundaries I should have set beforehand."

"Sounds like a plan, Ren. And I'll be there to help you if needed!" Morgana nodded back to him.

* * *

 **\- AUGUST -**  
Tokyo, Japan  
Kichijoji, Starlight Studios  
Evening

* * *

Northwest of Shibuya was the Kichijoji district – a fairly new area built with many venues of entertainment catering to both young and old, as well as a variety of trendy shops and restaurants. One of the many spots for group hang outs was an open access studio for activities such as dancing, group fitness and zumba – the venue was known as  _Starlight Studios._

Throughout the last couple of nights, Ren and Kasumi used one of the studio's rooms to practice their dance routine for the upcoming festival in Destinyland, which already sprung up to them as the event would begin tomorrow afternoon. Fortunately for Ren, the music competition wouldn't be until the second day of the entire festival, giving him a day to relax between the dance and band competition.

 _Wow.. Ren's actually really smooth in his movements.. What is this guy not talented in?_ Morgana thought as he spectated Ren and Kasumi going through their routine one more time. The duo were dancing to a remix of  _Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There_ by  _Jazztronik_ , a recently popular song given a jazz twist to it. Kasumi was able to teach Ren the dance routine she had choreographed, which mixed both hip-hop and modern ballet.

"Awesome! You've got every move down right to the detail! I love it!" Kasumi exclaimed as they completed their routine. She gave Ren a high-five as she was feeling very confident in winning the dance competition. "And your solo part! You move so elegantly, yet balance it out with your confident attitude! We've totally got this in the bag tomorrow!"

"We sure do." Ren agreed, walking over to grab his water bottle and chugged it down. If he were honest, this was the most cardio he had done for awhile. But Ren enjoyed the expression of movement he was able to convey through dancing. As he took a moment to rest, he noted Kasumi coming up to him as she looked down, seeing that she was blushing. "Uhm… You doing good, Kasumi?"

"Uhm.. Ren-kun.. I just wanted to say, thank you for spending so much time with me. You could have spent your time elsewhere, but you chose to invest it with me. And I really appreciate it." Kasumi began. She took a moment to glance up to Ren, then immediately looked back down to the floor embarrassingly as she felt her heart race. "Uhm, is it okay if I tell you something?"

 _Oh no… OH NOO… I feel a confession coming up! Ren! Do something before its too late!_ Morgana panicked quietly.

"Uh… What is it?" Ren asked, unsure of how to go about this entire situation without sounding too rude.

"Ren-kun, throughout the many nights of practicing our dance routine, I felt a connection growing between us. We managed to sync up so easily. Like it was all natural." Kasumi slowly got closer to Ren as she continued looking down sheepishly. "And as we were not only dancing, but getting to know each other these past few days. I've begun seeing you in a  _different_  light."

 _Abort! Abort! Abort! Ren, get out of there. NOW!_ Morgana began to freak out.

"I mean.. It is a bit dim in the dance studio, right?" Ren attempted to divert the conversation, nervously laughing at his own joke. But it received no response as Kasumi began to walk closer to him, almost standing face-to face.

"Ren-kun. Your kindness that you've shown me. Has helped me through the heartbreak I've been going through in my own life. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have seen my situation in a different perspective. Now I've realized that it is okay to seek help from others." Kasumi sighed. She gazed up to Ren as they both stared into each other's eyes. "Ren-kun. I need to know. Do you...  _like_ me in someway?"

 _Choose your words carefully.. This is where it all matters! There is no turning back!_ Morgana gritted his teeth in anticipation, watching as Ren took a moment to think about his response.

Ren reflected on what to say and remembered the words from Sojiro-san earlier that morning:

" _And don't think about the words.. Just let out what your heart speaks. The best apologies come from the genuine cry of the heart."_

"Kasumi, I've learned how you are an amazing girl. Super talented and loves to express her mind. You were able to face society head-on all by yourself and not conform to its ways – and even through the troubles you have between your parents and their divorce. You stayed strong. That's something I'll always respect about you." Ren said, much to Kasumi's joy. He followed it up with a sigh and confessed." But, I'm sorry - I don't  _like_ you in that way. I'm sorry if I lead you on like that. All I ever wanted to do was help you heal your heart. Show you kindness that you haven't felt in so long. Please understand, Kasumi."

"Ohhh… uhm." Kasumi looked down, a tinge of disappointment overtaking her face. At first, she felt the heart being stabbed once again – a familiar feeling she had been accustomed to her entire life. In many instances, especially with her parents, Kasumi had put so much of her heart in depending on them for support, only to have it thrashed and torn apart by constant betrayal and manipulation.

"Kasumi… Speak to me." Ren attempted to garner a response as Kasumi continued staring down to the floor, yet was unsuccessful. "Look. If you want to shout at me, I understand. I won't argue back."

Kasumi still took a moment to process Ren's words. Unlike many others who would yell back at Kasumi in annoyance when she'd put so much dependence towards them, Ren managed to let her down with the same kindness he always exhibited. In comparison, Kasumi reflected back on her own experience. Most importantly, her parent's divorce..

_Kasumi, the innocent daughter who relied on the love of her parents.._

_A marriage.. Built on the foundation of trust and dependence between two partners.._

_All broken apart by an affair hidden by her mother.._

_The sudden anguish felt by her father, showing no remorse and allowing rage to speak from him.._

_No kindness towards each other.. Only hostility.._

_Seeing the purest of love broken apart by betrayal.._

_Kasumi only felt the company of rage, loneliness, bitterness, and despair.._

_She thought the only way to protect herself.. Was to keep others away.._

_To prevent the same heartbreak that cursed her parents_

_To prevent it.. from happening to her.._

"Ren-kun.. Is it weird… that I feel at peace?" Kasumi finally spoke. She looked up to Ren and gave a small smile to him. "I… can't fathom it.. I should be angry.. Betrayed.. Bitter about your response… But.. I'm smiling.. Why am I smiling?"

 _Whoah… This isn't what I expected.._ Morgana watched intently as Ren and Kasumi continued their conversation.

"I'm not sure Kasumi…" Ren replied. Even he was a bit surprised by Kasumi's response when he turned down her feelings.

"Maybe… It's the way you let me down so easy, Ren.. Your kind heart never intended on hurting me. Even if your response still hurts me, you were gentle about how I would feel." Kasumi tried to comprehend. Her eyes began to well up with tears, but not of sadness – but of joy. "I think I'm glad you turned me down, hehe. Your kindness has helped me see the light among my current situation. It's helped me realize that there is a way to handle such stressful issues with a kind-heart."

Ren nodded, beginning to understand what Kasumi was getting at. Throughout the nights they had hung out together, Kasumi had been getting calls by her father, who demanded to know about her whereabouts all the time. Kasumi's father was strict ever since her mother left their family, and out of anger, told Kasumi to never give her heart out to anyone and only to depend on herrself for strength.

"Kasumi… Maybe this kindness you've learned from me… You can show it to your parents. To your father, who's heart has felt nothing but betrayal all these years. And to your mother, who may feel guilty of her actions, but still requires the love she misses from you." Ren comforted Kasumi, putting a hand onto her shoulder as she wiped away her tears. "Kasumi, you don't have to be alone anymore. You  _always_  have others to help you through your problems. Don't be afraid open up to others. Not everyone wants to hurt you."

"I know that now. Thanks to you." Kasumi wiped away the last of her tear and smiled at him. She began to feel a sense of resolve calming her heart.

By Ren's kindness, she was able to look past the pain she held all these years and look forward to a brighter future – both for her parents and herself. Kasumi giggled. "Heheh… to be honest, another reason I'm glad you turned me down was that it showed your faith with Takamaki-san. Who knows what further trouble you would've been in if you actually liked me."

"Uggh… Don't remind me of that." Ren sighed, taking a moment to sit down on the floor. His heart had been pounding the entire time after finally establishing boundaries with Kasumi and managing to let her down easily. Now since that issue was over, Ren now had to make amends with Ann. "Kasumi, I'm not sure you are aware but Ann and I have been fighting for the past couple days."

"Really? Huh… I hadn't even noticed until you mentioned it." Kasumi took a moment to recall their previous band practices together, noting that Ann and Ren had stayed quiet and away from each other for most of the time. "What are you guys fighting about?"

"Actually… It's about you. She's been jealous that I've been hanging out with you a lot." Ren sighed.

"Huh!? For real?" Kasumi yelped. She blushed in embarrassment. Kasumi never considered that Ann saw her as competition. She assumed that Ann was okay with Ren and her hanging out. Secondly, she began to feel guilty, realizing the situation both Ren and Ann were in was far too similar to her parents fighting and their eventual divorce. "Ren-kun! I'm sorry! Now that I think about it, I never meant to cause a wedge between you and Ann! I guess I was so blinded by the kindness you showed me that I didn't bother with what Ann truly thought of us."

"It's okay, Kasumi.. It's not your fault. I should have been the one to establish those boundaries early on." Ren assured her.

Kasumi took a moment to pace back and forth, wondering how she could help Ren and Ann reconcile. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Kasumi hopped in excitement and quickly slid over to Ren on the floor, whispering into his ear about her idea.

"A-Are you sure that will work? That seems like a bit of a stretch." Ren questioned.

"If your bond is truly strong – I believe you two will be able to naturally make it work out, m'kay?" Kasumi nodded and winked to Ren. He smiled, appreciating that Kasumi was already willing to work with him to reconcile with Ann.

Morgana continued watching Ren and Kasumi talk in the empty dance studio, both now being able to speak simply as friends without any awkwardness between them. He hadn't expected this turn of events and began to reflect upon them.

 _Because of Ren's kindness towards Kasumi – he was able to show her a side of life she had closed off from herself due to the pain brought upon by her parent's divorce. And now it seems that Kasumi is returning the favour – helping Ren to mend his relationship with Ann. As if Kasumi is atoning for her parent's broken bond._ Morgana pondered, slowly growing a smile on his face. Ren's kindness held no limits as it even reached beyond his relationship with Ann.

Once again, a new stone from Morgana's Spirit Amulet began to glow as he slowly began to realize the Attribute of  **Kindness**.

* * *

 **\- AUGUST -**  
Tokyo, Japan  
Destinyland  
Afternoon

* * *

Along the waterfront down the southern district of Tokyo was the famous theme park and resort known as Destinyland. It was a massive park consisting of many tourist attractions such as lively-themed restaurants, exciting rides and the gigantic Destiny Castle located in the middle of the theme park. One could say that Destinyland was the "happiest place on the planet" considering how magical the environment felt. On this special weekend, however, began the annual  _Tokyo Super Special Summer Music Festival,_ which presented live musical performances every hour and offered many forms of entertainment from a whole variety of performers.

"Ooooh! I just  _love_ cotton candy! It feels like I'm eating a cloud, mweheheheh!" Futaba exclaimed as she joyfully devoured the two cotton candy sticks in her hand, one blue and the other pink. She was already wearing a set of the Destinyland earpieces – one which resembled their mouse mascot.

"I hope that isn't too much sugar for her… She'll be fine, right?" Ryuji whispered over to Makoto, who simply shrugged. They were joined with the rest of their friends as they walked down the bustling grounds of Destinyland – the atmosphere lively as ever with many tourists conversing while the theme park's cheerful music played – all while the screams of riders occasionally echoed into the air as they partook in the exhilarating rides.

"It's finally nice to meet the boyfriend of Shiho." Ann commented as she trailed behind the others.

She was accompanied with Shiho and her current boyfriend – Ken Amada. He was a significantly tall boy with brown hair and eyes. He currently wore a brown sweater vest overtop a white shirt, black slacks and brown shoes to complete the look.

Ann began conversing with Ken. "So, Amada-san! Mind telling me more about yourself? I wanna understand what Shiho sees in you."

"Oh.. uhm.. well, I used to attend at Gekkoukan High School until I moved and eventually transferred to the same academy as Shiho." Ken began to explain. "I was part of a lot of clubs back then and participated in a lot of sports."

"Ken is still in a lot of groups at our current school, but he's mainly busy doing soccer." Shiho said, smiling over to her boyfriend. "Right now he's the captain of the varsity team. It still amazes me that he's able to balance everything between his studies, extracurricular groups and leading the soccer team without breaking a sweat!"

"Heheh, Shiho, I gotta give you credit too – you excel extremely well as captain of the volleyball team!" Ken complimented back.

"Awwwwww, look at you two! Givin' each other cheesy compliments about who's the better sports captain! You definitely are the perfect match!" Ann teased. She took a moment to watch Shiho and Ken talk, extremely happy that her friend was able to find another source of happiness in her life after what she'd been through last year at Shujin.

Yet, seeing the happy couple made Ann feel sad as she remembered her current situation with Ren.

 _Ren still hasn't bothered talking to me… Did I really screw things up with what I said the other night?_ Ann pondered as she sighed. Out of her jealousy, Ann may have said things that she never really meant that night. She had been caught in the heat of the moment and regretted what she said to possibly hurt Ren. But she had no idea how he was feeling at the moment. Throughout the week, Ann and Ren would see each other at band practice, but they wouldn't talk – only catching glimpses of the other staring at them. Ann  _really_ wanted to talk to Ren – but was unable to muster up the courage to do so.

_Maybe.. Maybe he is feeling the same way too? Uggh… how are we going to move on from this predicament if either of us are too hesitant to talk?_

"Yo guys! Could you walk any slower? The dance competition is about to start soon!" Ryuji called over to them.

Behind him were the rest of their friends as they joined the crowd of spectators gathering to where the dance competition would be held. Ann, Shiho and Ken joined them as they made their way to the front where they got the closest view of the dance stage – which consisted of an expansive, flashing neon platform overshadowed by a large, blue velvet-coloured tent. Beams of multi-coloured lights shone around the stage as a large, electronic sign flashing the words " _Club Velvet Dance Battle_ " above the platform.

"Ohhh… So this is where Ren and Kasumi will be dancing. Aren't you excited, Ann?" Haru asked, looking over to Ann.

"Yeah… I am, actually." Ann answered. Even if she and Ren weren't talking at the moment, she still wanted him to do well in the dance competition, knowing that he invested a lot of time practicing.

Even if it was with Kasumi.

 _No Ann.. This is no time to feel jealous. You're here to support Ren._ Ann reminded herself.

Meanwhile in the competition tent, many of the dance participants were getting ready to perform. There were a variety of dancers, ones whom were soloists, dance partners and groups – all ranging in their own style of dance, whether it was hip-hop, jazz, ballet, even tap-dancing!

"You ready for this, partner?" Kasumi asked. Ren nodded back to her. For their outfits, the two decided match by sporting their Shujin academy outfits – with Ren using the one he kept from last year as a souvenir from Kawakami. Both of them wore a black shirt underneath the unbuttoned uniform blazer, along with red gloves, shoes and matching black and red headphones around their neck. Ren maintained the his red plaid trousers, while Kasumi kept her skirt variant with black leggings underneath.

"Are the others here?" Ren asked. Kasumi took a moment to peer out of the tent, seeing their friends standing right in front of the platform. Ren took a deep breath. "Alright. And are you sure your plan will work?"

"Definitely! This way, it'll ensure our victory, as well as you winning back Ann's heart!" Kasumi winked. She raised her hand into the air as Ren gave her a high-five. "Remember! Be confident during your solo part! Feel the music rushing through your veins as you allow the dance moves to flow out!"

 _I wonder what those two have planned._ Morgana thought. He still wasn't aware of the plan the duo had made last night after their final dance practice. He was hoping that whatever Kasumi told Ren would work.  _Well… this is it.. A dance battle to kick-off the summer festival. I hope this goes well!_

"There you are, Feline!" a voice suddenly spoke. Morgana jumped in surprise and quickly turned around, finding both Caroline and Justine standing in front of him in the flesh, both sporting their casual attire. "We've been looking everywhere and finally found you slacking off at this gigantic gathering filled with dangerous rides and awful music!"

"WHAT! Why are you guys here? I thought you guys were defeating the Shadows back in the Spirit Temple!" Morgana asked.

"We managed to fend off a majority of the Shadows – enough that they managed to retreat from their attack towards the  **Treasured Bond**  for the time being," Justine explained. "My sister and I have decided to check up on your progress in fixing the broken bond between the  **Trickster**  and his  **Lover –** as well as checking up on our  _other_ sister's event."

"Listen, I'm getting there. It's just that things have been busy and.. wait, back it up.. Did you just mention your  _other_ sister?" Morgana wanted to confirm.

"Yes, Feline! Are you deaf? She's the one who organized this entire dance competition!" Caroline stated. "Ever since our older sister, Elizabeth, began her own journey in the real world, she's managed to make a name for herself with organizing spectacular dance wars such as this one!"

"Laaaaddiiiies and jellybeeeeaaaans- I mean, gentleeeemeeen!" a loud voice echoed from the speakers outside. Morgana, Caroline and Justine peeked out from competition tent and looked over to the centre of the platform. Standing in the middle was none other than the announcer – the  _other_ Velvet Room Attendant and older sister of the twins: Elizabeth. Sporting her typical blue attendant outfit, Elizabeth began the dance competition. "It is my utmost honour to be holding this amazing dance battle to help kick off this year's  _Super Special Summer Music Festival!_ Now! Without further ado, let us begin the Club Velvet Dance Battle!"

"Ken… What's with the weird look? Do you happen to know that lady on-stage?" Shiho asked, noting the surprised look on his face.

"Uhh.. N-No! Of course not, heheh. I mean, come on, see how  _weird_ she dresses?" Ken stuttered.

"He isn't wrong. That lady has  _terrible_ sense of fashion, I mean, who wears dresses like that anymore?" Ann commented.

Just then, the dance competition went underway. Ann, along with the rest of her friends, watched as a whole variety of dancers came up on stage to present their routines. The audience was engrossed in the wide array of performances. Eventually, it came to the part where Ren and Kasumi were up next.

"My my, so much talent to be shared on this one stage! Tonight has just been an amazing  _shonen_ … I mean, show _case,_ of superb dancing, am I right?" Elizabeth announced as she began to hype up the crowd. By now, night had befallen among Destinyland as the sky glowed from the neon lights striking out from the dance stage. "And now I present to you our final routine for the competition! Known as the  _Royal Duet_ , may we give a big applause for Kasumi Yoshizawa and Ren Amamiya!"

"Whoooooohoooooo! Come on, Reeeeeen!" Ryuji howled as he pumped his fists into the air, joining along the crowd's excitement around them.

"Goooooooo Kasumi! We go to the same school together!" Futaba cheered as she jumped up and down.

"Come on babe… You've got this." Ann whispered to herself, praying for Ren and Kasumi's performance to go well.

The platform lights dimmed as a single spotlight pointed at the backstage. The sound of a hip-hop drum beat start playing from the speakers, accompanied by a keyboard and violins in the background. The vocals of a woman joined in the background singing to the popular remix of  _Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There._

 _The fakers, are all sick at heart  
_ _Their faces hiding their fear  
_ _They look down on, all the rest of us  
_ _Like they're some special breed_

Kasumi confidently entered the platform and began synchronizing her ballet and hip-hop moves to the beat and lyrics. Her face expressed joy as she landed each movement with grace and accuracy.

"Wow! She dances so elegantly." Makoto commented, finding herself bobbing her head to the music.

"I must admit, each movement flows divinely and with purpose. It's like a painting coming to life." Yusuke added.

"Whooooooh! Give 'em everything you've got, Kasumi! Yaaaaaaaaas!" Futaba pumped up her fists in the air in beat with the music. As the group continued watching Kasumi's performance, the music escalated to the pre-chorus.

 _Who's the high lord...  
_ _Who thinks he's better than us?  
_ _Ain't it a crime that, is there a mission for us?_

"Kasumi is dancing all by herself - and yet the entire crowd is already getting into it! She has such strong stage presence!" Haru complimented. Ann agreed with the others. Kasumi wasn't kidding when she said dancing was one of her passions. Her exquisite movements showcased her strong abilities.

The song eventually climaxed to the chorus of the song. Kasumi gracefully transitioned into a split in the middle of the platform and pointed to the back stage. Suddenly, Ren smoothly appeared on-stage as he spun around in an elegant pirouette manner. Ren used the momentum he gained to jump over and do a flip over Kasumi, landing in an epic manner in front of the crowd before transitioning to his part of the choreography

 _Wake up, get up, get out there  
_ _There's more to life than their way  
_ _If you live you cannot stay  
_ _Why does nobody want change?_

"Daaaaaaammn! That was  _sick!"_ Ryuji yelled in excitement. The rest of the crowd joined in as they applauded loudly. The other Phantom Thieves cheered for Ren as he danced.

Ann couldn't help but smile as she watched her boyfriend dance with so much confidence in front of everyone.  _Oh my…. He really did learn how to dance well. He's so good!_

Kasumi got up from her splits and began to join Ren. Both of them danced in sync to the music as their movements matched perfectly with one another. The cheering and excitement of the crowd gave them the energy to dance swiftly and more boldly. During one of their matched movements, Kasumi glanced over to Ren and winked, mouthing out the words:  _This is your shot!_

Ren took a deep breath and prepared himself. As Kasumi transitioned off-stage, Ren continued doing his solo dance routine and maintained the crowd's energy. Ren suddenly danced over and bent down on one knee in front of the crowd. He held out a hand down towards Ann and motioned for her to come up.

"WHAATT!?" Ann shrieked, taking a step back. Their other friends gave a shocked look from Ren's gesture. For a brief moment, Ann froze in place, unsure of what to do.

 _What is Ren doing!?_ Morgana thought. Had this been the entire plan Kasumi and Ren planned? To make Ann suddenly dance?

"It appears that the Lover is frozen in place. We must do something to help fix their bond." Justine said.

"No worries! I've got just the remedy!" Caroline took out her baton and poked her head out of the competition tent, aiming it towards Ann. Suddenly, a jolt of electricity faster than the eye could see was shot out, directly hitting Ann, but not hurting her. Ann's entire body suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins as newfound confidence and the drive to dance had overtaken her.

"What the- Hey, wait! This isn't me!" Ann yelped, feeling her body was being taken control as she suddenly grabbed Ren's hand and climbed up on stage. Ren guided her along to the centre of the stage and helped her dance to the music as it continued into the second part of the chorus.

 _Let your voices ring out, yeah  
_ _Take the mask off and be free  
_ _Find yourself in the debris  
_ _If you hold on life won't change_

"Whooooah! Why didn't Ann tell me she could dance?" Shiho expressed, clapping for her best friend. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were unsure of what was happening, but decided to go with the flow and cheer on for the couple. The rest of the crowd joined along them as the surprise duet began to take their hearts.

"Ren! I have no idea what's happening, but this isn't me doing this!" Ann shrieked as her body continued moving to the beat of the song, with Ren still holding her hands as he guided her.

"Whatever it is, keep it up, the crowd is loving it. And don't worry, I'll be here by your side." Ren affirmed, winking to Ann before suddenly letting her go as she began to spin around majestically in the centre of the platform. As Ren continued dancing in the background, Ann began to take over the crowd's attention as she began doing her own solo routine, consisting of strong movements akin to a pop idol, with a bit of her own flair added.

 _"_ H-How is my body doing this?" Ann panicked, continuing to allow her body to dance all-out to the music. She looked out to the crowd, seeing them enjoy her routine. Deciding that she couldn't fight against this energy to dance, Ann decided to commit to the act and gave a look of confidence into her routine. Ren eventually joined her as the music reached its last couple bars. As the music ended, Ren and Ann found themselves standing in the centre of the platform, embraced into each other's arms as they both breathed heavily, exhausted by the choreography they now completed.

"Awwwwh yeaaah!  _That's_ what I call a power couple!" Futaba exclaimed as the entire crowd gave a tremendous applause to them.

"Good job." Ren whispered as he smiled to Ann.

"Uhhm, thanks heheh." Ann replied, finding herself smiling back. The pair had realized both of their faces were fairly close to one another. The two ended up blushing as the crowd continued cheering for them.

"What the heck did you do?" Morgana glared at Caroline and Justine as the trio retreated back into the competition tent. "What was the bolt of lightning that suddenly gave Ann those dancing powers?"

"Uhmm.. Does it matter? We just helped the Trickster and Lover win the dance competition! You're welcome!" Caroline scoffed at Morgana, crossing her arms as she shook her head to Justine. "Hmph! If only the Spirit Amulet could teach you what gratitude is! I pity you."

 _You know what.. I'm just gonna accept what happened as is.. It's just easier for my conscious._ Morgana decided, shaking his head. He turned back outside to the stage, finding Ren and Ann bowing down to the cheering crowd, hands held tightly together.  _Mweheheh, at least those two look like they've fixed things now. Good for them!_

* * *

 **\- AUGUST -**  
Tokyo, Japan  
Destinyland  
Evening

* * *

"I can't believe you forced me to dance!" Ann giggled. The two slowly strolled around the theme park at night by themselves – both of them holding hands as they enjoyed the calmer atmosphere of Destinyland as it continued glowing underneath the starry skies above.

"You danced pretty well. I'll admit, even I'm surprised of how well you did." Ren complimented. He looked down over to their chests at the blue velvet ribbons given to him and Kasumi for winning first place. Elizabeth had even given Ann one for her surprise participation. "Because of you, we managed to win the dance competition."

"Guess in the end, you always needed me, huh?" Ann teased, sticking her tongue out to her boyfriend.

"Ann.. I always need you. Even if I don't show it, you're constantly on my mind, each and every day." Ren affirmed her. He took a moment to reflect upon what their relationship had been through for the past couple of days – especially concerning their argument over Kasumi. "Ann, I should apologize for my actions. I neglected you when I was investing my time with Kasumi. I know that we agreed I was only around her to showcase the  _kindness_  she missed out in her life – but that shouldn't have been an excuse to forget about you."

"I may have been a jerk as well when I said she needed you more than you needed me." Ann began to apologize as well. She reflected on her own struggles regarding her jealousy of Kasumi. But now, it seemed that Kasumi was happier now – all thanks to Ren's pursuit to show her a kind heart and help figure out a resolve in her own issues. "Hey Ren. When you think about it, this was our very first big fight we've had. Does that make us more official as a couple now?"

"Maybe.. But I feel like  _this_ would solidify that idea more." Ren suddenly spun Ann around and pulled her into his embrace. As they stood face-to-face to one another, Ren locked his lips to Ann's as they shared a kiss for a brief moment. As the two parted their lips, they both stared at each other before Ren broke the silence. "I missed you, Ann."

"Just shut up and kiss me again." Ann replied. This time, she initiated the gesture as she leaned her head forward and kissed Ren. As the two enjoyed their moment of bliss, the night sky above them suddenly erupted into a multitude of colours as the sound of fireworks echoed out. "What the - fireworks already? Oh right… I remember them mentioning there would be a fireworks display every night during the summer festival."

As the two simply stood there and watched the fireworks shooting from Destiny Castle into the air above them, Ren looked over to Ann and noted how her beauty was magnified by the starlight sky. This moment took him back to his first time seeing Ann last year in the rain. Moments like this made Ren thankful the opportunity he was given to meet Ann and to have their bond continually grow through the trials they faced together.

"Huh?" Ann looked over to Ren and noticed he was staring at her. She smiled and began to re-adjust his glasses as she noticed they were a bit crooked. "Heheh.. I know you told me you don't need these to see, but at least wear them right!"

"Heh.. Thanks. Come on, we should find the others. We'll need to rest for the music competition tomorrow night." Ren reminded her. Ann nodded. She took one of Ren's arms and wrapped it around her shoulders as she rested her head onto his own.

"Can we stay like this for a bit longer though. Please?" Ann asked.

"Of course." Ren replied.

Ren and Ann spent the remainder of their night ignoring the chaos and excitement around them in the theme park – instead simply enjoying the presence of one another that they both dearly missed.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	15. Encore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The Phantom Thieves participate in the music festival - featuring Rise Kujikawa! Ren and Ann share a special moment on-stage, while Morgana bonds with the Velvet twins."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OH MY GOSH THAT NEW PERSONA 5 ROYAL TRAILER! Super hyped for this game and I can't wait for it to come out next year. If y'all haven't seen it, I demand you to sit down and watch it, as well with the new Goro Akechi trailer (like what's going on with that due eh? I NEED TO PLAY THE GAME NOW!)
> 
> Mhmm.. sorry, getting carried away heheh.
> 
> Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this new chapter for the week! We've been getting a lot of Shuann moments throughout these chapters as they overcome many barriers in their relationship - but now I'm planning on moving the plot forward with Morgana and the Spirit Palace - all connecting to Ren and Ann's relationship. I've been writing this story for the past fifteen weeks and I do plan on moving on from this plot and moving to new stories (especially with the Persona 5 x Pokemon crossover I'm currently organizing) but I will still remain faithful to finishing this fic!
> 
> Heads-up, there are a couple songs mentioned in this chapter. If you'd like a better understanding of what's being sung (cause it's kinda hard to read the songs just by the lyrics alone) feel free to check out the songs below:
> 
> "Digimon Tri opening - Butterfly"  
> "Angel Beats - Ichiban no Takaramono acoustic vers."
> 
> Thanks again for all who have been following me, and I hope y'all have a blessed week! Bye for now!

****

 

* * *

 **P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 15: ENCORE**

* * *

 _**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Destinyland** _  
_**Afternoon** _

* * *

Destinyland was bright and busy as ever during the second day of the  _Tokyo Super Special Summer Music Festival._ The main event advertised for the day was the music competition – with special guest Rise Kujikawa joining in to judge the winners that would gain her special VIP concert tickets on the last day of the festival.

"Alright! We are.. The  _Heart Stealers!"_ Ryuji announced proudly as he and the rest of the Phantom Thieves entered through the Destinyland gates. The group carried their band equipment for the music competition that would happen later that day. They currently wore variations of their outfits made by Ann through the hook-ups given by her parent's fashion business. "Gotta give you credit Ann – these outfits you made for us rock!"

"Well, I figured if we're gonna become a band, we might as well dress the part." Ann explained. She herself wore pink highlights in her hair and black cap, along with a long red crop top sweater, her Shujin academy skirt, fishnet stockings and matching red sneakers and gloves. "It's weird though. I felt like we've worn these outfits before in a dream once where we danced. But I can't exactly recall anything about it."

"Yeah.. I think I had the same dream too… That's super weird." Futaba commented. "Oh well! Today is the day we get to rock n' roll and steal the hearts of the crowd!"

As the group made their way through the theme park, Kasumi took Ann aside as they trailed behind the others. She began to apologize. "Takamaki-san, listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I made things awkward between you and Ren for the last couple of days. I never meant to cause a rift between the both of you. I guess I was really entranced by Ren's kindness that I'd forgotten how you'd feel the entire time."

"Kasumi, it's okay. I did agree with Ren to allow him to grow closer to you in hopes that you'll find the kindness you've been missing most of your life." Ann expressed. She wrapped an arm around Kasumi's - as she would do with Shiho - and led them back to the rest of the group. "Come on! You're part of our group now! And that means we stick close together!"

"Heheh! Thank you so much, Takamaki-san! You and Ren are both so kind!" Kasumi expressed with gratitude.

Ever since Ren invested a majority of his time with Kasumi, she began to remember how to have a kind heart and show understanding towards the pain of others. In the case of her parent's divorce, Kasumi now understood that she needed to be there for both of them and not hold on to hostility from the pain they all had to endure. With kindness, Kasumi could now help mend their broken relationship and begin establishing bonds with others.

With Ann's case, she remembered how kindness was selfless – not to think much of your own desires, but to put others before yourself. And kindness could be shown through forgiveness – in her case, understanding Ren's dedication to helping others and Kasumi's struggle in her personal matter.

As Morgana peeked out of Ren's bag, he looked down and noted that the fourth stone on his Spirit Amulet began to glow.

" _ **Well done, you've now understood the Attribute of Kindness in a relationship. This makes the fourth stone that you have powered-up in your Spirit Amulet."**_ Justine's voice echoed into Morgana's head.

" _ **Keep it up, Feline! We'll call upon your assistance when we've found the Shadow that opposes the Attribute of Kindness in the Spirit Palace!"**_ Caroline explained.

 _Sounds good! Guess I'll relax with the others until then._ Morgana thought. He began to reflect on the past couple of weeks with Ren and Ann's issue with Kasumi. The general theme of their problem was the understanding of kindness and how all three of them needed to realize the attribute themselves in order to solve their predicament. Morgana had been a key witness through all their struggles and manage to connect their experiences to help him fully understand kindness himself.

_With Ren - Kindness looks out for the well-being of those around us.._

_With Ann - Kindness helps to empathize on what others go through.._

_With Kasumi - Kindness helps us to forgive the ones close to us.._

_Kindness not only is a valuable aspect in relationships with your loved one – but is important in all bonds you build in life.. I get it now!_

With four of the eight Spirit Attributes now discovered – including  **joy** ,  **service** ,  **loyalty**  and  **kindness** , Morgana was well on his way on fully powering up the Spirit Amulet.

And closer to becoming human.

Eventually, the Phantom Thieves made their way towards the outdoor theater where the musical competition would be set. As the group began setting up their instruments, Shiho and Ken came over to check up on the others.

"Shiho!" Ann exclaimed, running over to give her best friend a hug. She greeted Ken and asked how they were. Right afterwards, Ann called over Ren to meet them. "Hey, babe! You remember Shiho, right? And this is her super cool boyfriend – Ken Amada!"

"Nice to meet you, Amamiya-san." Ken greeted.

"Likewise, Amada-san." Ren replied as both boy shook hands.

"We just wanted to wish you good luck for the musical competition! Watching you guys practice for the last couple days, I just  _know_  you'll win this!" Shiho assured them. "Oh yes! Ken and I were wondering that once the festival was over that the four of us could go on a double-date to the beach?"

"Ohh yes! Babe, we  _have_ to do it before you leave back to Kyoto! Please?" Ann grabbed Ren's arms and playfully begged him.

"Sounds like a good idea! We both definitely need a break after all we've been doing this summer." Ren nodded, much to Ann's delight. It felt like forever since the couple were given a chance to relax with each other – considering Ann had to film for the Featherman movie, Ren helping out with Kasumi's heart, and both practicing non-stop for their music competition.

"My my! What are the odds of seeing so many familiar faces today!" a woman's voice called out to them. The group peered over to the distance and were surprised by the appearance of Yukari Takeba. She approached the group and greeted them. "Heeey, gang! Ohh, Ken! It's been  _waaaay_ too long since I've seen someone from our Gekkoukan days! Ooooooh, and are you with your girlfriend? Ahah! The others are gonna flip when they hear about this!"

"Yukari-senpai! Not now!" Ken groaned, feeling embarrassed already by the teasing of his long-time friend.

"What! Ken, you  _also_ know Yukari-senpai?" Ann asked, curious to know their relation to one another.

"We had the same circle of friends back in our days at Gekkoukan High School. I was the youngest among them." Ken explained. "We've been through a lot over the years, when I think about it. To be honest though, we've grown apart since our lives have gotten busier."

"Awwwh! And I miss you too, kiddo!" Yukari went over and playfully messed up Ken's hair, much to the boy's annoyance. She went over to Ann and gave her a hug, noticing the different attire she was wearing. "Wow, you really are a model! You sure know how to make those clothes pop!"

"Heheh, thanks Yukari-senpai. It's for the musical competition that my friends and I are competing in. If we win, we're gonna get a chance to meet Risette after her concert on the last day of the festival!" Ann exclaimed.

"Oh yeah! Rise Kujikawa? I actually know her! She asked me to help out with judging for the music competition tonight." Yukari nonchalantly explained, much to both Ren and Ann's surprise. Yukari laughed. "Heheh, I didn't want to mention it the last time we were together. But just because I know you two personally, doesn't mean that my decision will be biased! You have to  _earn_ that victory, alright?"

"We wouldn't want it any other way, Yukari." Ren acknowledged.

"Hmph! I didn't forget that I'm in this entire thing because  _you_ had to open your mouth about my little singing hobby!" Ann playfully elbowed Ren's side, much to the boy's annoyance as he groaned in pain.

"Whaaaaaat! No 'effin way!? Is that… Yukari Takeba again!?" Ryuji's voice suddenly echoed from the theater. "Duuuuude! She looks  _so_  much hotter the second time around!"

"Oh my goodness! It's the one and only Pink Argus! Gaaaaaaah! I need to hug her again!" Futaba screeched in excitement, pushing over Ryuji as she rushed over to them.

Morgana rested on-stage the entire time, watching the group continue their conversations. It seemed that everyone was reuniting together for the music competition tonight. Reunions had always excited Morgana, even if he didn't show much enthusiasm to them. An idea popped into his mind as he began using his connection to talk to Caroline and Justine.

" _ **Hello? Anyone home?"**_ Morgana communicated. There was a moment of silence as he awaited a response. This was the first time he ever tried communicating to the Velvet twins as they were always the first ones to prompt a conversation.  _ **"Helloooo? Am I just talking to myself?**_

" _ **What's your issue, Feline?"**_ Caroline's voice snapped into his mind loudly.

" _ **Gaah! Does your voice have a volume button on it so I can make it sound a little more quieter?"**_ Morgana argued.

" _ **NO! NOW STATE YOUR BUSINESS!"**_ Caroline now screamed into Morgana's mind.  _ **"Justine and I are very busy at the moment!"**_

" _ **Incorrect. Caroline had been talking about the Trickster's dancing from our older sister's dance competition before you communicated with us."**_ Justine ratted out her sister. _ **"Apparently Caroline has been daydreaming about his moves non-stop ever since and found it necessary to tell me every intricate detail."**_

" _ **Ugh! Shut up! D-Don't tell him that! He's gonna think I'm a total creep!"**_ Caroline argued. Morgana could tell she was extremely embarrassed just by her tone alone. Caroline coughed for a moment before regaining her composure.  _ **"Regardless, what do you want? We're busy still looking out for the Shadow Attribute opposing the Attribute of Kindness you just discovered."**_

" _ **I was thinking.. If you guys wanted to join me and watch the musical competition in our world?"**_ Morgana asked, much to the Velvet Twins surprise.  _ **"You guys can sacrifice one night of Shadow hunting to relax, right?"**_

" _ **Hmm, I mean.. since you've helped repair the bond between the Trickster and Lover, the Spirit Palace is at relative peace at the moment, save for the two missing Shadow Attributes – and at the moment, those Shadow's presence is very low right now."**_ Justine stated.

" _ **Huh? You're actually considering the Feline's deal? Seriously, Justine! You can't just crumble that easily! You've gotta show some resistance at least!"**_ Caroline barked.  _ **"Why are you even asking us to come, Feline? What's your catch in this little request you demand from us?"**_

" _ **Nothing! I just thought since you guys always seem stuck in that Velvet Room of yours – that you could use a little break and have an experience of what it is like in the real world."**_ Morgana explained. He chuckled for a moment, realizing what he was doing.  _ **"Mweheheh.. Guess you could say its the kindness in me that I've just learned through the amulet. I'm just considering how you guys are feeling – having a little chill time wouldn't hurt, right?"**_

" _ **Mona-chan has a point.."**_ Justine said, heavily considering Morgana's point.  _ **"Caroline – what are your thoughts on this?"**_

" _ **WILL THE TRICKSTER BE THERE!?… Urggh.. Not that it means anything. Just curious."**_ Caroline eagerly asked. Morgana assured her, much to her delight.  _ **"Alright! Onward! To the real world! Come on, Justine! Hurry up and change your clothes so we can get there!"**_

Morgana chuckled at the Velvet twin's conversation. Ever since he got to know them as their initial singular form – Lavenza, Morgana began to grow a liking to them as friends. He was grateful for the opportunity they gave him in understanding the concepts of human relationships. From their given assignment, Morgana began to learn more about how relationships worked through his observation of Ren and Ann's bond, as well as the people around them. And Morgana also felt his own personal relationships with both Ren and Ann were growing stronger as well.

There was still a part of him that loved Ann – but ensuring her happiness with Ren through the memories they made together was all Morgana could do for her at the moment.

_And once the Spirit Amulet is complete – I'll be able to become a real human! I should really think of a way to thank those twins once our deal is done._

* * *

_**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Destinyland, Outdoor Theater** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

Night had fallen upon Destinyland once again as the outdoor theater was crowded with many spectators awaiting for the music competition to begin. The area was very spacious – consisting of a large, open field surrounding the stage where most of the spectators stood. Spotlights of various colors shone around from the stage.

Within the backstage of the theater were all the musical performers, ranging from many different acts such as soloists, acoustic singers, duets and a couple bands - including the Phantom Thieves as they eagerly awaited for the music competition to begin.

"Oh my… there seems to be a lot more people here than yesterday at the dance competition." Makoto expressed concern as she peered from the backstage, noting the sea of people crowding around the stage.

"It's because they  _know_ Rise Kujikawa is here!" Ryuji explained. At the moment, he was frantically looking around to catch even a glimpse of the pop idol backstage. "Come on, Where is she? I gotta see Risette's totally hot body in person!"

"Most likely hiding from you, Ryuji. She probably knows you've been looking out for her the entire day since you couldn't shut up about it." Morgana commented.

"Ryuji, please focus for once. This entire band idea was yours. Now is not the time to be distracted." Kasumi brought up. Suddenly, she requested everyone to gather around her for one final motivational speech. "I must say this though. Before all of this, the only friend I truly had in Shujin was Futaba. But throughout this summer break, I've been blessed to have this chance to do something fun with amazing people such as all of you. I am grateful for the time I've spent to get to know each and every one of you. From the struggles we've faced, to the many laughs – I hope to look forward for more memories to share with you!"

"Awwwh, Kasumi, you're such a sweetheart!" Ann exclaimed, with the other Phantom Thieves nodding in approval, expressing their gratitude for Kasumi and her leadership in their band practices. Ann requested everyone to put a hand in the centre of their circle. "Alright –  _Heart Stealers_! Let's go steal the audience's hearts with our awesome performance!"

"Right! Heart Stealers, let's go!" the entire group chanted as they swung their arms out from the circle, cheering in excitement.

 _Mweheheh! I'm lovin' their vibe right now!_ Morgana thought, looking over to each of his friends. Even long after their days as the Phantom Thieves, their bond that made them one as a family still remained strong. The hard work they endured all throughout summer break, as well as the acceptance of their new group member – Kasumi, made Morgana's heart tingle in excitement. He looked over to Ren and Ann, both giving each other encouragement before the competition.

"You ready for this?" Ren asked Ann as he strapped his electric guitar around him.

"Uhm… to be honest, I'm actually kinda nervous, heheh. Weird, huh?" Ann gave a nervous smile to her boyfriend. She  _literally_  just danced in front of another crowd yesterday night – why was Ann suddenly having stage fright all of a sudden?

"Here, I might have something to help calm your nerves down." Ren went over to Ann and gently laid a quick peck on her cheek, much to her delight. "So, did that help?"

"Heheh… a little bit.. I might need one more." Ann winked. Happily complying, Ren upgraded the peck on her cheek to a kiss on her lips. Ann took a moment to allow his kiss to resonate with her. "Mmmh, Ren.. Did I ever say you were a good kisser?"

"Alright! Alright! Y'all are cute and all, but we've got a show to perform! Let's keep our minds focused, okie?" Futaba told them, directing them over to where the rest of the performers lined up and awaited their turn.

 _I should check up on where the twins are._ Morgana thought. Exiting from the backstage, Morgana began crawling through the crowd of spectators, being careful not to get stepped on. A few minutes passed as he was still unable to find them. Morgana growled in frustration.  _Grrr.. How hard is it to find a couple twins wearing matching blue outfits?_

" _ **Pssst! Feline! Look up!"**_ Caroline's voice called out. Surprised, Morgana looked up and found the twins sitting on their own floating, blue transparent futon above the audience, with a bunch of snacks on their side.  _ **"Wanna join us up here? Or be stuck below with them stinky human feet?"**_

" _ **WHAT THE HECK!? Aren't you guys gonna get noticed by the crowd?"**_ Morgana panicked.

" _ **No need to worry. With our powers, we can make ourselves invisible from the humans. Its the same type of spell we've used whenever the Trickster needed a quick entrance to the Velvet Room in his city."**_ Justine explained.

" _ **Ohh.. okay, cool. But how the heck am I gonna get up there?"**_ Morgana asked.

Suddenly, Morgana felt his paw being lifted off the ground as his entire body was suddenly thrusted into the air, landing in the empty spot on the floating futon between Caroline and Justine. Morgana groaned as he could only assume one of the twins used a levitation spell to throw him up there with them.

"Ugghh.. Y'all couldn't warn me first before bringing me up here unexpectedly?" Morgana argued. He took a moment to gaze at his surroundings, looking down at the audience as they continued conversing. He marvelled at the spectacular view of the entire outdoor theater. "Alright… I'll give you guys credit. This view isn't so bad."

"Would you like some of our snacks? I believe the contents of this bag are what humans call  _potato chips."_ Justine asked, holding an open green bag of sour cream and onion chips.

"Do you guys happen to have any sushi? Fatty tuna, specifically?" Morgana asked. He suddenly raised an eyebrow to them. "Wait a minute.. Where'd you get all these snacks? You guys didn't steal anything, did you?"

"How dare you accuse us of thievery! But yes – we did." Caroline answered. She explained that their older brother – Theodore, had a large stash of food that he'd collected from his various journeys into the real world – which all began when he desired to collect  _cola_  requested by their  _other_ sister, Margaret. "Don't worry! We'll make sure to pay him back!"

"Geez.. As if there are  _more_ of you Velvet assistants – how many of you guys are there?" Morgana commented.

"Helloooooo Destinyland! How is everyone doin' tonight?!" a voice suddenly echoed out into the outdoor theater. The crowd began to go wild as a certain pop idol finally walked out from backstage as a spotlight shone down to her. The idol had long copper-colored hair tied in two pigtails and wore her iconic performance outfit consisting of a summer pink school uniform, black leggings and a white zip-up jacket top. The idol blew a kiss out to everyone as she waved to the audience. "I am  _super_  glad you guys could make it for tonight's musical competition! I am your host, the one and only – Rise Kujikawa!"

 _Hmm… So this is the famous Risette I keep hearing about._ Morgana noted the natural vibrant energy to hype up the crowd – as he'd expect from a teenage idol who'd been in the business for years.  _Doesn't Ren have a poster of her in the attic at Cafe Leblanc? I think Ann gave it to him when they went together at Takenoko Street that one time on a date._

"Hmph, so she is Rise Kujikawa? The famous pop idol?" Justine asked as she began munching on her potato chips.

"What kind of soda pop does she idolize? Cola? Ginger ale? Root beer?" Caroline questioned, before chugging down a bottle of lemonade soda.

"You guys have a  _lot_ to learn about this world." Morgana rolled his eyes. Yet - he found amusement towards the twin's ignorance. "Heheh, maybe we all should hang out more often like this next time."

"I'd be down." Justine nodded. She turned over and gave her sister a questionable look. "What do you think, Caroline?"

"Yeah! Sure! If it gives me more time to stare at the Trickster in the real world, by all means!" Caroline proclaimed before realizing what she had just said. Morgana and Justine couldn't help but giggle in unison, causing Caroline to blush in embarrassment. "G-GAH! Shut up! L-Let's just focus on the performances tonight!"

The trio of friends brought their full attention to Risette on-stage as the crowd below them continued applauding in a thunderous tone.

"We have a lot of amazing musical talents to showcase for tonight – all of them roaming from different parts of Japan! We've got representatives from Sumaru City, Tatsumi Port Island, Inaba and even Kyoto!" Rise announced with dazzling energy. "Let me remind you all that this competition is to showcase the variety of talent our united country of Japan holds – and to encourage every one that we're all unique and to celebrate our differences!"

"Whoooooo! Yes Risette! Preach it!" a fan shouted.

"You're soooo cute, Risette!" another female fan yelled.

The musical competition went underway as the first act came up, consisting of a boy band from Osaka. Both Caroline and Justine were deeply impressed by the many talents originating around Japan, and even Morgana had to to admit that the competition was tough. If the the Phantom Thieves – or now by their band name of the Heart Stealers, wanted to win the VIP tickets to Rise Kijukawa's concert, then they would need to rock and roll the hardest tonight.

"Wow! That was an  _amazing_ set of performers! I'm lovin' the passion that everyone has been showing in their performances tonight! As you are all aware, winners of this competition will get a chance to hangout with me tomorrow night after my concert to end this year's summer festival with a bang!" Rise exclaimed, hyping up the crowd once more. "Now, we've got out final act of the night! Coming from your hometown of Tokyo, I am excited to welcome the  _Heart Stealers!"_

"Yaaay! Go Ann! And everyone else!" Shiho cheered from the crowd, with Ken accompanying her.

"Alright.. Let's see what the youngin's got." Yukari expressed, watching from the sidelines as Rise joined her. She winked to her friend. "So! How's the competition been so far?"

"I gotta admit, this is probably my toughest choice so far. They've all been good in their own ways." Rise confessed. She crossed her arms as she watched the Heart Stealers get into position on stage. "These guys are gonna have to do something  _very_ unique if they wanna grab my attention."

The lights were dimmed as smoke covered the stage. Multi-colored lights began to flash in the background as the silhouette of each band member appeared. Instead of the instruments beginning the song, Kasumi's silhouette raised her hand in the air, signalling their group to sing the chorus in a harmonizing acapella style.

 _Maybe this world's an infinite dream_  
_And there's only hope living in me_  
_May it not fail me now_  
_On my looove!_

The stage suddenly exploded in lights as the band began playing their instruments to a modern rock pop tune. Ryuji began drumming on his kit, while Yusuke and Haru provided the backing track with their bass guitar and keyboard, respectively. On top of their instrumental, Ren played the melody with his electric guitar as Kasumi, Ann and Makoto began singing.

"Oooooh! That was a nice-buildup for the intro!" Yukari commented, turning over to Rise as she nodded. The group's harmonies were on point, but would they be able to sustain their energy throughout the song?

Morgana looked down to the crowd below and saw them jamming to the group's tune. "Mweheheheh! Looks like they've totally got the audience's attention! Those weeks of practicing were definitely worth it!"

"These sounds they are emitting from their weapons - it amazes me that they are able to combine them together to create this harmonious projection of listening arts." Justine commented, catching herself bobbing her head to the song.

"And the three girls are able to fit their voices together to sound like one unified unit! Their bonds must definitely be strong to showcase this type of ability!" Caroline analyzed as she stood up from their futon and attempted to sing the words, much to her failure. "Grrrgh! I don't know these words! Help!"

The Heart Stealers continued rocking out hard on stage, with Ann, Kasumi and Makoto singing their way towards the pre-chorus, all three of them performing with confidence.

 _I wanna know oh oh oh ohhh_  
_If the sky above is only for show_  
_I wanna know oh oh oh ohhh_

 _What tomorrow will bring_  
_So let's spread out our wings_

"These guys sound good. But they need something else to make them stand out from the rest. Oooh! I have an idea!" Morgana looked up to the twins and requested a plan he thought would help his friends stand out in the competition. Caroline and Justine agreed. The twins stood beside one another and each raised a hand opposite to their twin towards the stage. Suddenly, a sparkle of blue magic emitted from their hands as it gathered around the stage.

As the song escalated to the chorus, the blue sparkles exploded around the band as it formed a gigantic silhouette of a flashing blue butterfly flapping its wings in the air. Remnants of the blue sparkles began to fall down into the crowd as it floated around them. The gesture surprised the band on-stage, but they continued singing as the energy of the audience began to grow.

 _My broken wings dream of the sky_  
_And they'll never be able to fly_  
_Only if we never try_  
_On my looove!_

As the band finished their last chorus and posed triumphantly, the butterfly silhouette suddenly launched itself high into the night sky and exploded into a shimmering rain of fireworks. The crowd went wild as the cheering grew louder while the band remained in their final poses.

"Whooooooah! How'd they make that happen? That was so awesome!" Yukari hopped in excitement as she applauded for them. "Risette! Wasn't that amazing or what!?"

A smile grew on Rise's face as she clapped for the Heart Stealers. Their performance was unlike anything she had seen that night – especially with the butterfly gimmick. Before she was able to walk back on-stage, she and Yukari heard the audience begin chanting.

" _Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore!"_

"An encore..!? B-But.. we only know one song!" Ryuji panicked. The others looked around, unsure of what to do.

"Uh-oh… Seems like the audience is wanting more! Shouldn't you go out there and diffuse the situation?" Yukari nudged to Rise beside her.

"Let's see what they can pull off." Rise winked back. The entire situation reminded her of the time she had performed at a concert with her group of friends back at Inaba. But for some odd reason, Rise believed that the  _Heart Stealers_ had one more card up their sleeve – even if they didn't outright know it at this very moment.

"Mona-chan.. What exactly is an encore?" Justine asked him while the crowd below continued chanting.

"It's  _obviously_  a secret tactic to wipe out the entire theater with a death-defying finishing move! Right, Feline?" Caroline said confidently.

Morgana ignored the twin's comments, simply staring down to his friends on-stage, anticipating their next move.  _Come on guys… What do you have planned next?_

"Uhm… Ren? What should we do?" Makoto looked back to him. " _Butterfly_  was the  _only_ song we've practiced! We don't know any other songs as a whole band."

"Not as a whole band.. But what if... I know!" Ren had an idea pop into his mind. As the crowd continued cheering for them, he walked over to the front stage where Kasumi stood and whispered something into her ear, much to the rest of their friends confusion.

"Heheh.. Ren, you're a one-of-a-kind guy. Let's do it!" Kasumi nodded.

Ren requested the rest of their group members to relax in the back for a moment while he grabbed a microphone stand for himself and brought it over beside Kasumi. Ren tuned the tone of his electric guitar to give it a more raw, acoustic sound to it.

"What are they doing?" Futaba puffed out, running from the back to the side of the stage, joining along Yukari and Rise as they watched Ren and Kasumi set up. "Do they really have another song planned out that the rest of us didn't know?"

"Hey, do you have any idea on what they're doing?" Ryuji whispered over to Ann. She shook her head, as she was just as oblivious as them. Ann looked over to Ren – unable to comprehend what his surprise act with Kasumi was.

Suddenly, Ren began to strum on his guitar as the audience grew quiet, realizing the next piece would be a more intimate song. As Ren played, Ann immediately recognized the acoustic melody. The exact same strumming of the acoustic guitar alone made her heart skip a beat as she realized what Ren was playing.

_No way.. Our song..?_

"This next song is about an individual talking about their own struggles that they face every day, but they manage to find the strength in their heart from the inspiration of their partner - whom they dearly love." Ren explained to the crowd as he continued strumming. He turned over to Kasumi, who nodded over in assurance to encourage him.

Ren took a deep breath, as if to calm his nerves. "Someone  _special_  to me showed me this song – and the more I listen to this, the more I realize how much I relate to the singer in this tune. Last year in Tokyo, I was in a situation where I felt alone, cast out by society due to a thing of my past that tore away at my self-esteem. But I was blessed with an opportunity to meet this one  _girl_ by chance on my way to school here in Tokyo. She was also going through her own struggles and felt alone as well. It was by fate that we ended up together to share our pain and find strength from each other."

Morgana's eyes widened, immediately realizing who he was talking about.  _He's.. talking about Lady Ann.. Wow, the courage this guy has._

"This type of love we share, it helps rekindle our own self-value and strength – knowing that someone sees so much worth in your own life. The memories you both share inspire you to do the same for them. A love that may go through a rollar coaster of emotions, but in the end – the ride itself is worth it. And you're will to go through that same journey again, and again, and again, just to spend more time with them." Ren slowly turned over to Ann in the back and smiled to her.

"That's why.. I'd like to dedicate this entire song to  _my_ special one – Ann Takamaki."

The entire crowd gasped in awe as they realized they would be experiencing a serenade – by a man wholeheartedly dedicating these words to his beloved girl.

Ann covered her mouth with both hands – completely in shock at what was happening. Was she in a dream? Was Ren really doing this for her – in front of almost everyone in Tokyo?

"This one is for you, Takamaki-san. Completely from Ren's heart to yours!" Kasumi added, winking back to Ann. Helping Ren start off the song, Kasumi began singing along the words of the first verse, complimenting the strumming of Ren's acoustic guitar.

 _You and I, the way that we were_  
_Thought that it would last forever_  
_But sometimes we trust in a lie_  
_When truth hurts_  
_I swear that I won't wish away the life  
_ _that I was given anymore_

As Ren continued strumming his guitar, Kasumi transitioned the vocals to him as he began singing the chorus of the song – dedicating these words to Ann.

 _Even if I am on my own_  
_Even if there's really no hope_  
_I'll do anything so you know  
_ _There's no distance that I wouldn't go_

"Hey.. That's  _your_ man up there singing to you, Ann." Makoto gently nudged her. She motioned Ann to go over to Ren. "I feel you should join him on this."

Ann slowly walked across the stage way over to her boyfriend, continuing to listen to his heartfelt emotions pour out through the words he sang. This one simple song Ann had shared with him months ago through their video chats managed to build itself as a foundation in their relationship. And this man in front of her had the courage to share his feelings to a big crowd in Tokyo.

If this wasn't a true sign of Ren's love for her, Ann didn't know what was.

Kasumi walked over and handed her microphone to Ann, giving one last smile as she gestured her to sing with the boy she loved. Meeting Ren at the edge of the stage, Ann stared adoringly into her boyfriend's eyes and began singing the second part of the chorus to him.

 _It's because I'm always with you_  
_And you always kept your faith in me_  
_And because I couldn't live to  
_ _See a world without you next to me_

"Oh my.. Check out the crowd." Yusuke mentioned to the others as he pointed to the audience. Almost all of them had taken out their phones and turned on their camera lights as they slowly waved them in unison while Ren and Ann sang together. It appeared to be an ocean of stars had swept itself into the theater to magnify this heartwarming moment.

"Oh Ren.. You're such a romantic prince… Ann is lucky to have you." Haru commented. For a moment, her heart ached to see Ren and Ann singing together, for she still had feelings for Ren. But she couldn't help but smile at this moment, happy for her friends. "Maybe.. Maybe one day I can share a moment like this with my own prince."

"Haru? You doin' good?" Ryuji suddenly came up to her. "I noticed the bothered look on your face. Is everything alright?"

"Heheh, but of course, Ryuji." Haru smiled back to him.

"That's my Ann… I'm so happy for them." Shiho commented over to Ken, who also agreed with her. Shiho had known of Ren and Ann's relationship – but wouldn't have imagined for it to have grown this strong to the point where they sang a duet together in front of a large audience in Tokyo.

"Didn't think you were expecting  _this,_ huh Risette?" Yukari crossed her arms as she looked over to Rise.

"No - I didn't. But it was  _so_  much better than I thought it would be!" Rise expressed. She could easily sense the chemistry between Ren and Ann on-stage. "Do they like.. have an official couple name or something? I'm  _totally_ a huge fan of them already!"

"Yaaaaaaaah! That's  _my_  ship right there! Woot! Woot!" Futaba hollered out, only to be hushed by both Yukari and Rise. Futaba smiled in embarrassment. "Uhhh.. Sorry! I'm just  _super_ proud of my babies!"

As Ann sang the last few lyrics of the song, Ren strummed the final chord, with the two of them staring in adoration. Silence had filled the theater as the audience awaited them to kiss.

" _Come on! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"_ the audience began to chant.

"Geez.. Such a demanding crowd!" Morgana shook his head. He felt a bit embarrassed in the situation that Ren and Ann had found themselves in, but at the same time, he found it amazing how enthralled the crowd was of their chemistry. "It's as if the entire park has fallen in love with their bond.. Could it be that their love is so strong that it's influencing the others around them?"

"Ren.. You've gotta be  _crazy_  to have done this in front of everyone." Ann commented.

"You're half-right. But honestly - I'm just  _crazy_ for you, Ann." Ren replied. He lowered his guitar to the side of him as he embraced Ann's waist with his free arm. Ann placed her arms around his neck and the two initiated into a kiss, soon resting their foreheads together as they happily basked in the moment. Their tender gesture prompted the audience to applaud crazily over them.

"Come on, Justine.. We should head back." Caroline suddenly spoke in a defeated tone, seeing Ren and Ann continue to embrace each other on-stage.

Justine nodded. The twins suddenly snapped their fingers and disappeared in a sparkle of blue light, causing the floating futon to disappear. This caused Morgana to fall from the great height into the crowd below. Fortunately as he was a cat, he landed on his two feet with ease.

"What the- what the  _hell_ is wrong with those twins?" Morgana growled, taking a moment to comprehend what had just happened. He recalled the both of them looking disappointed before they fled the scene. "Why did they look so.. sad? Something isn't right here."

"I think I speak for everyone when I say this  _cute_ couple has definitely stolen our hearts tonight, am I right?" Rise's voice echoed out into the theater as she walked back onto the stage. She turned over to Ren and Ann and winked at them as the duo went back to their friends. "Well… I don't know about you guys, but I believe these guys have lived up to their name of  _Heart Stealers –_  that love song totally stole all our hearts! Which is why I declare their band the winners of this year's music competition!"

"Yes! We did it, everyone!" Kasumi exclaimed, celebrating with everyone else as they congratulated each other on their hard work. Futaba ran up on-stage to join them in their celebration. With victory in their hands, they were given special VIP tickets to hang out with Rise Kujikawa tomorrow night after her concert.

The crowd cheered for the  _Heart Stealers_ as Rise welcomed them to the front of the stage. She motioned them to line-up together as they took a bow in front of everyone.

"Alright! Now we gotta go stage diving to celebrate!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"No! Don't!" everyone else shouted. Before they could stop him, Ryuji backed up and sprinted off-stage and jumped into the crowd. Unfortunately for him, everyone within vicinity moved aside, causing him to land face-first onto the ground.

"Ugh - didn't think this would end the same way as well for you guys." Rise said, rolling her eyes as she and the rest of Ryuji's friends watched him moan in pain.

"Dammit Ryuji, you always find a way to make yourself look dumb, don't you?" Morgana scoffed as he strolled past Ryuji and joined the others on-stage.

* * *

 _**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Destinyland** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

"Yooo! We totally rocked out tonight?" Ryuji pumped his fists in the air with excitement as the group made their way to the exit of Destinyland. Along with the ice-pack he held on the side of his face, Ryuji also carried a golden trophy given to them for winning the music competition – complete with an unexpected sum of cash prize for their victory, as well as the promised VIP access with Rise Kujikawa after the concert. "Guys! Did you see how many girls came up to me and asked for my number? I'm  _totally_  gonna be getting a bunch of calls after tonight!"

"Weird.. Is that what they were handing to me on these pieces of of paper they gave me?" Yusuke commented, holding up a bunch of slips in his hand, each one having a phone number written on them. "Here Ryuji, you can have these if you want – I have no intention on calling these girls."

"They're probably the same girls that gave their phone number to Ryuji! Ahahahahah!" Futaba pointed to Ryuji as she mocked him, "Not so special now, huh, blondie!?"

"Regardless – I believe we should celebrate for tonight! Anyone hungry?" Kasumi invited everyone, thinking up a list of restaurants they could go to celebrate their victory.

"Oooh! I'm so down for something sweet! What do you think, babe? Up for some grub?" Ann asked Ren. She was currently piggybacking on his back as Ren carried her out of the theme park.

"Now that you mention it, I am starving. Hold on tight!" Ren suddenly began running ahead of the group, much to Ann's amusement as she giggled, making sure to hold on tighter to her boyfriend to avoid falling off.

"Hmph! Show-off! Think you're a better runner than me just 'cause you're carrying someone on your back? I'll show you true speed!" Ryuji ran after Ren and Ann. The rest of the group sighed as they chased after the trio as they began to head on over to their next destination for dinner.

 _Such kids… Mweheheh.. These have been a busy last couple of days for us._ Morgana thought as he began chasing after his friends. After months of preparation for the music competition – the group's effort managed to pay off as they won and strengthened their bonds. To imagine that this small idea given to them by Ryuji had managed to grow into a collection of memories – beginning with Kasumi being implemented into their group, the argument between Ren and Ann that they overcame to strengthen their bond, along with the entire experience of learning about the attribute of  **kindness**  – this summer break was ending off on a very high note for Morgana.

"Pssst! Hey, Mona-chan!" a voice suddenly called over to him. Morgana stopped in his tracks and turned away, finding the silhouette of four individuals walking over to him. As they got closer, Morgana recognized the group – consisting of Yukari Takeba, Ken Amada, Rise Kujikawa and Justine.

"What's going on?" Morgana asked, slowly walking up to them.

"Whoah! You weren't kidding when you said he was a talking cat!" Rise went over and crouched to Morgana and petted him. "Ohhh.. You remind me of a certain talking teddy bear back in Inaba. Except you're a lot cuter!"

"He reminds me of Korumaru - except he actually  _can_ speak full sentences." Ken commented over to Yukari, who simply nodded to him.

"What in the world? You guys can understand me?" Morgana spoke in surprise. He understood with Yukari's case, as they both had met in the Spirit Palace where she discovered his Metaverse form and realized her cognition of Morgana talking. The only way Ken and Rise could suddenly talk to him was if someone had given them the idea of a talking cat.

"I apologize, Mona-chan, but it was I who exposed your true form." Justine confessed. She had been looking down the entire time – clearly in a state of distress. "You see – I had no other choice but to call forth further assistance. We are in dire consequences at the moment – or more accurately, I am in a dire consequence."

"Dire consequences?" Morgana raised his concerns. He took a moment to realize someone was missing. "Wait a minute, where is Caroline?"

"In a fit of sudden sadness and hostility – she entered the Spirit Palace by herself to search for the remaining Shadow Attributes concerning  **Joy**  and  **Kindness**  – Only to end up being captured by both  **Shadows**.." Justine explained.

"We must rescue her.. otherwise they will consume her spirit and bring forth upon rage to not only the Spirit Palace and to your friend's bond– but to  _your_ world as well. _"_

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	16. Sunset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana and his Persona team suffer a tragic loss. Ren and Ann reflect on the beach before summer ends."

****

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Chapter 16: SUNSET**

* * *

**= The Spirit Palace =  
Entrance**

* * *

Among the mysterious realm where the floating temple resided, Morgana and his group of specialized Persona users stood outside the stairways leading to the entrance. After being debriefed by Justine about her sister, Caroline, being captured and succumbed to the Shadows, the team had been recruited immediately to stop the enemy from wrecking havoc within the Palace where Ren and Ann's bond was contained as the treasure.

Currently in their newly recruited group was Morgana, Justine, Yukari Takeba, Ken Amada and Rise Kujikawa. At the moment, they went through their plan once more.

"Uhh.. give me a moment to recount every thing you just told us so we can be sure we know what we're getting into." Ken Amada spoke. "This entire time, Morgana has been tasked with an artifact that powers up every time you learn about an aspect regarding human relationships. But once an attribute is learned, it's opposite form will awaken and threaten to destroy the bond of your friends that you've sworn to protect?"

"Yep.. pretty much." Morgana nodded.

"Since when did this entire story get so complicated? Everything you told us so far was about the relationship between your friends – Ren Amamiya and Ann Takamaki. When did ancient artifacts, spiritual stones and threatening Shadows come into the mix?" Rise Kujikawa asked, attempting to wrap her head around the entire situation.

"Sometimes – we must accept reality as it is, regardless of its complexity." Justine explained, the entire time concerned about her sister's well-being. "Due to Caroline's recklessness and jealousy between Ren and Ann's bond, she ended up getting herself captured. If the Shadows containing her learn how to use her powers to travel into the real world, not only will your friend's bond be in danger – but your reality as well."

"In short – just another day in the life of a Persona-user! Right, team?" Yukari tried to keep the mood up, much to everyone else's annoyance. "Come on, lighten up people! Did you not realize how  _cool_ this crossover is? We're all Persona-users coming from different stories – now uniting our powers to protect not only our reality, but the special bond of one of the cutest couples we know!"

"I have to admit – the song Ren and Ann sang to each other at the music festival really touched my heart. I'm now  _totally_ a fan of those two!" Rise exclaimed. "I want to protect their bond at all cost. Whatever we have to do to protect them – count me in!"

"My girlfriend, Shiho, is best friends with Ann Takamaki. And Ren Amamiya seems to be a decent guy. I wouldn't want their bond to be threatened – so you guys can count on me too!" Ken assured them.

"Indeed! And we've also got to save Justine's sister!" Yukari reminded them. She turned over to Morgana and nodded to him. "So, leader, we're ready whenever you are!"

"Huh? Me? Leader?" Morgana was surprised by the position given to him. This was the first time ever he had been appointed in a leadership role – as the Phantom Thieves didn't count due to Ren Amamiya taking the position already. Morgana began to realize the responsibility he was gradually taking – not only tasked to protect Ren and Ann's relationship, but this new team he was now beginning to lead. "R-Right! I won't let you guys down! Come on! Let's take down those Shadows and rescue Justine!"

"Right! Peeeeerssooonnaa!" The others summoned their Personas as they equipped themselves for battle.

Yukari Takeba summoned her Persona – **Isis** , capable of powerful wind abilities as she equipped herself with her trusty Pink Argus attire and her Ultimate Bow and Arrow.

Ken Amada summoned his Persona –  **Kala-Nemi** **,** energized by electrifying powers, equipping himself with a long-range spear as he reverted to his Gekkouken High uniform.

Rise Kujikawa summoned her Persona –  **Himiko,** skilled with navigation and the ability to provide buffs, debuffs and healing. Rise maintained her iconic pink stage school uniform and conjured up a trusty microphone stand that transformed her musical abilities to deadly attacks.

Justine activated her wild card-like abilities to summon any Persona to her will.

Lastly, Morgana summoned his ultimate Persona -  **Mercurius,** while he equipped himself with both his curved sword and slingshot. He turned back to his team as he stared in awe at the surge of power he sensed from all of them. Morgana could tell that they were much more experienced than the Phantom Thieves due to being Persona-users for quite some time.

"Okay.. We've got a bond to protect and friend to save - let's go,  _Spirit Guardians_!"

Morgana led them into the Spirit Palace. Using her Persona's navigational abilities, Rise was able to pinpoint the Shadows location within the forbidden library in the upper levels. Traversing through up the stairs, the group barged their way through the double-doors as they found themselves in a gigantic, library, with many dusty books filling the hundreds of shelves stretching to the ceiling.

Floating in the middle of the library were two large Shadows unfamiliar to the group. Each Shadow appeared to take the from of gloved hands – one representing the right hand while the other left. In the middle of them on the floor was Caroline – unconscious and chained up to a light blue cross formed by a mysterious energy.

In front of the Shadows, however, was a Shadow version of Caroline as she stared menacingly at the unsuspecting Persona-users.

"Caroline!" Justine yelled out to her sister. She was unable to receive a response from her.

"Ken! You recognize that cross?" Yukari called over to him, receiving a nod from the boy. The cross where the real Caroline was tied onto resembled the ones they'd seen during their own Persona adventure – specifically, events surrounding the  _Dark Hour_  and  _Tartarus_. "Sorry Justine.. but if that cross is what we think it is – your sister is currently having her Persona powers drained, along with her own energy."

"Those giant hands, though. What could they be?" Rise pondered. Using her Personas scanning abilities, she identified that the two Shadows each specialized in their own element – which were  _Bless_  and  _Curse_  abilities, respectively. Recalling the information given to her by Morgana and Justine earlier, Rise deduced that they were the opposing Shadow Attributes of  **Joy** and  **Kindness –** more accurately, the embodiments of  **Depression** and  **Hostility.**

" _You dare try to ruin my plans? If I cannot have the_ _ **Trickster**_ _to myself – then no one can!"_ Shadow Caroline proclaimed, waving her baton towards the group as the two Shadow hands floated closer to the Persona-users to engage battle. " _Seeing my beloved_ _ **Trickster**_ _in the hands of his_ _ **Lover**_ _infuriates me! Why does that girl deserve all the_ _ **kindness**_ _and_ _ **joy**_ _from him.. It should be us he's with – isn't that right, my sister?"_

"Justine.. Is she talking about Ren and Ann?" Morgana turned over to her, catching Justine with her eyes closed and gripping her fists in frustration. "Justine, what have you and Caroline been hiding this whole time regarding this contract you've made with me regarding the Spirit Amulet?"

" _Yes, sister! Go ahead! Spill the beans to why we really made the Feline our little pawn to our secret agenda?"_ Shadow Caroline mocked.

"Mona-chan.. You see, during your tenure with the Phantom Thieves last year – the  **Trickster**  had been meeting with our master Igor and us throughout his journey." Justine began explaining. "Over time.. my sister and I had developed feelings for the Trickster. Our true form, Lavenza, confirmed those feelings and had confessed her love to him – but we had been rejected due to his special bond he'd already established with his current  **Lover**."

"But then.. this Spirit Amulet you've given me to power-up… What's the point of all this then? Do you actually really want to learn about human relationships? Or do you have some other  _selfish_ use that you haven't told me yet?" Morgana's temper began to rise up, suddenly realizing that his entire purpose may have been a facade this entire time.

"Morgana.. You and the twins can discuss this matter later on.. But right now, we need to defeat these Shadows, otherwise they'll destroy this temple along with the bond of Ren and Ann you've put so much energy into protecting!" Yukari reminded him. She and the others began to prepare themselves for the upcoming battle.

"I'm.. sorry, Mona-chan." Justine earnestly apologized. She took a moment to set her feelings aside and got into battle positions as she summoned her Persona. Their priority at the moment was to rescue Caroline and stop the Shadows from causing destruction.

"Fine… We'll talk later then.." Morgana summoned his Persona and faced off against Shadow Caroline and her two Shadows. These Shadows of  **Depression** and  **Hostility,** when combined together, represented the  _jealousy_  that Caroline had been feeling against the relationship between Ren and Ann.  **Depression** with the fact that she could never be with Ren in his current relationship – and  **Hostility,** directed entirely to Ann for taking his love away from them. If they wanted to help Caroline heal her heart – then they needed to figure out a way to defeat these Shadows.

_Shadow Caroline feels a lot more different… She's definitely stronger than Shadow Mika and Tatsuya.. We'll need to give everything we've got!_

"Let's do this!" Ken charged towards the giant Shadow hands. One of the hands used its Bless abilities, shooting a beam of light energy from its fingertips as Ken managed to dodge it. Using his Persona's electric abilities, Ken commanded  _Ziodyne_ among the Shadow, dealing heavy electric damage and temporarily paralyzing the hand.

"Alright! Let's add up some more damage!" Yukari aimed her bow and combined her Persona's  _Garula_ with her arrow as she shot a whirlwind strike at the paralyzed hand, dealing further critical damage.

"Watch out! The other Shadow appears to be charging up an attack!" Rise warned, using her Persona's abilities to sense an on-coming abiity. Sure enough, the other Shadow hand snapped its fingers as a  _Magatsu_ spell was fired, directly hitting Justine and inducing despair into her.

"I… can't do this.. My heart.. is in too much pain.. This situation I'm in… It's no use for me to live on anymore.." Justine suddenly shrieked out in anguish, dropping to her knees as her she felt her entire soul being attacked by a heavy burden.

"No! Come on, Justine! You have to snap out of it!" Morgana ran over to her and tried to regain her composure. But it was no use – the Shadow's  _Magutsu_ curse had hit Justine in her most critical feelings as it greatly increased the pain she felt losing Ren to Ann. Morgana growled at her. "Damn it! Get over him already!"

"Morgana! Look out!" Rise attempted to warn him. But it was too late – the Shadow hand moved onto them and raised itself into the air above them and slammed itself down with its open palm, crushing both Morgana and Justine. The hand lifted up from its position as the two laid almost lifeless on the floor.

"Nooo! Mona-chan! Justine!" Yukari yelled. She attempted to run over to protect the fallen duo, but she was caught off-guard by a barrage of  _Shining Arrows_ raining down upon her by the other Shadow Hand they were facing. Yukari tripped and stumbled onto the floor, severely injured by the attack.

"Yukari!" Ken called out to her. He hadn't noticed that another barrage of  _Shining Arrows_ was shot towards him. Ken attempted to cover himself up to protect himself, only to be rescued by Rise as she jumped forward and used her Personas abilities to create a forcefield around them and absorbed the attack.

"Fire it all back!" Rise commanded. Her Persona's abilities transformed the barrage of  _Shining Arrows_ into musical notes as they were fired back to the Shadow, impacting it and causing a huge explosion of smoke to erupt from the damage. Rise turned over to Ken and ensured he was okay.

Before they could react, the Shadow Hand flew out from the eruption of smoke from Rise's attack and rolled itself into a fist as it launched itself at the unsuspecting duo, punching both Rise and Ken back as they stumbled half way across the library, taking major damage from the attack. The duo laid unconscious within a pile of fallen library books against the shelves.

" _Hahahahah! Once I finish off you annoying pests, nothing will stop me from destroying the bond of the_ _ **Trickster**_ _and_ _ **Lover**_ _! Soon, his heart will be mine to keep!"_ Shadow Caroline cackled as she commanded both of the Shadow Hands to finish off the fallen Persona-users.  _And to ensure the_ _ **Lover**_ _does not attempt anything to win her man back – I'm gonna obliterate her out of reality!_

 _She dares threaten Lady Ann.. We can't let her win.._ Morgana attempted to stand back up, but he had taken too much damage and felt weak from the previous attack. He slowly looked over to Justine on the floor beside him, who had a defeated look on her face. Morgana weakly called out to her. "J-Justine… Please.. Only you.. can reach out to your sister."

Justine looked over to Morgana and reflected on her own emotions. She had also fallen in love with the Trickster, but hadn't gone too far with her feelings, unlike Caroline who was madly in love with Ren and let her jealousy run loose – amplified by the Shadow attributes that captured her. Justine could sense the same pain felt by her sister, yet they both reacted differently – with Justine leaning on seclusion dealing with her rejected emotions by herself, whilst Caroline exploded in outrage.

"Justine.. You need to balance out your feelings with Caroline.. You need.. each other to get over your feelings about Ren." Morgana pleaded. The rest of the Persona-users had no more energy to fight, and the Shadow Hands were closing in on the group to finish them off. "Your sister.. needs you.. as much as you need her."

"Mona-chan… You're right." Justine felt a surge of energy revitalize her spirit as she slowly stood up. Facing against the enormous Shadow Hands, Justine raised her hand and summoned an immense power from herself. " **Depression** …  **Hostility** … They deem unworthy emotions to use.. For the love of our  **Trickster**  deserves better than the angst we portray in our selfish desires!"

Suddenly, the four stones among Morgana's Spirit Amulet began to glow and flew into Justine's hands. The Spirit Attributes they had learned for the past few months –  _ **joy, service, loyalty**_ _and_ _ **kindness –**_ Justine focused on those emotions and thought about the bond of Ren and Ann - for it was the observation of their relationship that they managed to learn these concepts and experience genuine emotions.

_Trickster.. Our love continues to remain for you… We truly desire your happiness.. But we must not lose ourselves.. Let us.. become at peace.._

Justine let out a heroic yell as she slammed her fist into the floor, causing an eruption of light to explode from the floor and engulf the two Shadow Hands in front of her. As the light surrounded them, the Shadows evaporated and turned into lifeless, glowing orbs. The room eventually dimmed back to normal as it was left in a quiet, ambient state.

"Did.. Did we win?" Ken groaned, slowly recovering as he stood up from the pile of books he had landed in. He turned over to Rise as she sat their rubbing her forehead. "Risette! Are you okay?"

"Uggh… I've been better." Rise replied, giving out a weak smile as Ken helped her up. The duo turned over to the middle of the library – noting the Shadow Hands were gone. "Justine.. What was that power she unleashed? She completely obliterated those Shadows in one attack."

"Sister!" Justine ran over to her bound sister, ignoring the lifeless orbs the Shadows had left. Yukari immediately joined Justine as she helped her undo the binds that tied Caroline onto the light cross. Justine cradled her unconscious sister as she felt her life force disappear. Justine attempted to shake her sister awake to no use. "Caroline.. Caroline? Caroline! Please! Open your eyes! C-Come on!"

Morgana and the others ran over to the twins, unable to comprehend what was happening. Justine continued shaking her sister as she attempted to wake her up – yet to no avail. Tears began to well up in Justine's eyes as she mourned for her sister.

"No… No, please..." Yukari held her hands up to her mouth, feeling the weight of the situation sink into her. She turned over to Ken, who simply shook his head back. Understanding the powers of the  _Dark Hour_  cross that Caroline had been tied up on, it had been sucking away the energy from her the entire time. They weren't aware of how long Caroline had been bound – but it had been long enough to suck away all her life. "She-She can't.. die. It's not fair!"

Morgana looked back down to the lifeless energy orbs of the Shadow Attributes. Just like the previous Shadows they had defeated, the remaining energy of the attributes were nothing more than energy needed to be locked away to avoid further abuse of their powers.

But at what cost of from this battle?

"No… We can't let her die.. I won't allow it!" Morgana refused. The others looked at him with shock. Morgana went over to Justine and put a hand on her shoulder. "Justine.. This Spirit Amulet you've given to me. You said it was able to create life again, right?"

"To some extent.. Yes." Justine sniffled as she ran a hair through Caroline's sister. "But I'm only going on a hunch… Caroline and I.. we've never completed powering up the amulet. So we aren't sure of what it's full potential is."

"Doesn't matter! If there's a chance, I  _will_ take it to save Caroline's life!" Morgana affirmed. He reflected on the reason he started this journey to powering-up the Spirit Amulet. Lavenza, the sister's true form, believed that Morgana was the only one capable of completing this task.

Lavenza had requested Morgana during his lowest point when his heart had ached for Ann Takamaki. If she hadn't given Morgana a new purpose in life, then he may not have known how to move on from his one true love and remained in a state of depression that could have escalated into something  _much_  worse. And Caroline was half of Lavenza's true form – regardless of her brash behavior, Caroline continually had faith in Morgana's ability – and was also learning how to cope with her own feelings of Ren Amamiya being taken away by her.

"Please… Don't give me hope, Mona-chan.. This is  _our_  doing after all.. If my sister and I didn't decide to change destiny – to try and obtain immense energy of the Spirit Amulet and to dwell on powers we've never understood before... then maybe Caroline would still be alive." Justine sobbed. "This is possibly.. destiny making us atone for our selfishness."

"Justine.. Please listen to Morgana.." Yukari calmly insisted. "Don't blame yourself for your sister's death.. As I am understanding what you three have been through, I feel that Morgana truly cares to help you and this seems like the  _only_ way we can reverse this predicament."

"I've already realized the power of  _four_  of the attributes.. If I can discover the last four, then the full powers of the Spirit Amulet will be obtainable – and we can save Caroline!" Morgana assured her. "Please… give me a chance – she's been with us since the start of this journey. She deserves better than this unexpected death!"

Listening to Morgana, Justine began feeling the Spirit Attributes showcase themselves through his words. Morgana insisted on providing his  **service** stated by his  **kind** words. He exhibited his  **loyalty** regarding Justine's loss and wanted to revive the  **joy** taken away from her – which was the bond of Caroline.

The bond that made them one – Morgana desired to fix it. This wasn't simply a death for Caroline – this was the life of Lavenza that was lost as well. And through his observation of Ren and Ann's relationship, Morgana understood that these bonds were not self-seeking, but built upon the care for others – to do anything, no matter the cost, to ensure the well-being of those close to you.

Justine took a moment to wipe away her tears and caressed Caroline's cheek one last time. She looked up to Morgana and nodded to him.

"Okay… Mona-chan. I.. will entrust you with saving my sister's life."

* * *

 _**\- AUGUST -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Onjuku Beach** _  
_**Evening** _

* * *

A few days had passed since the summer festival had ended. With less than a week before the fall term started for students, the Phantom Thieves decided to head southeast to Onjuku Beach – a quiet coast with a beautiful, expansive view of the Pacific Ocean. Ann had invited Shiho and Ken along – keeping the promise they made to go out on a double date with their respective couple.

"I can't believe you got Rise Kujikawa's number!" Shiho exclaimed to Ann as the four of them walked along the beach boardwalk, talking about their experience meeting with Rise. Apparently, the special duet Ren and Ann sang together caught the pop idol's attention and she wanted to personally connect with both of them.

"I know, right!? Risette is  _super_ cool!" Ann began to reflect upon their encounter backstage after her concert back in Destinyland.

...

" _Ohhh my gosh! You're the cute couple from yesterday? That song you guys sang together was soo adorable!" Rise squealed, hugging both Ren and Ann. "Yukari was right when she said that you were such a power couple!"_

" _Huh..? Yukari.. mentioned me to you?" Ann covered her mouth with her hands, unable to fathom the reality that both of her favourite entertainers talked about her._

" _Yes! She told me so much about your great work ethic and goal to strengthen your heart through your modelling, singing, acting – and even dancing! Takamaki-san, you're such a talented individual!" Rise complimented._

" _Eeeeeep… I think I'm about to faint.. Risette is actually complimenting me!" Ann leaned against Ren's shoulder as he prayed she wouldn't pass out solely by Rise's presence._

" _Ya know.. Someone like you shouldn't be wasting their potential… Ohh, I know! Give me your number! I'll share mine to you as well so we can keep in touch in case I make big plans later on! It'd be totally cool to collaborate with you!" Rise insisted._

" _Babe.. please pinch me, I wanna make sure I'm not dreaming this!" Ann shook Ren's arm as she watched Rise dial in her contact information into her phone._

_..._

"She and Rise talked for two hours straight.. It's like they're best friends now." Ren commented as Ann finished recounting her experience with meeting Rise. His remark ended up getting a gentle elbow into the ribs by his girlfriend.

"Come on, I wanna go for a walk.. Just the two of us." Ann requested, dragging along Ren from the boardwalk to the beach area, leaving Shiho and Ken by themselves. The group had been hanging out the entire day, doing various beach activities such as volleyball, swimming and eating ice cream. Ann decided to have one last moment with Ren before they left the beach. The two began walking down the beach, with their hands tightly interlocked into each other's as the calm breeze of the ocean waves accompanied them. "Finally.. It feels like it's been awhile since we've had alone time with each other."

"Yeah.. We've been really busy during our summer break, haven't we?" Ren acknowledged. As they walked along near the coast of the beach – feeling the warm touch of the sand beneath their bare feet, Ren couldn't help but be struck in awe by Ann's elegant image against the warm glow of the sunset. She sported a long-sleeve white dress over her swimsuit, as it was getting a bit chillier that night, yet it added a touch of beauty to her overall appearance.

"Hmm? Something on your mind?" Ann asked, noticing the familiar look of wonder on her boyfriend's face. She couldn't help but also be enamored by Ren's looks – as he currently sported an unbuttoned, dark navy blue shirt and white shorts. Ren didn't wear his glasses, meaning Ann could stare directly into his dark gray eyes and easily notice them dilate whenever he looked at her. Ann found it cute and amusing knowing that she always captivated Ren's attention just by her presence.

"Nothing.. Just realizing how beautiful you look all over again." Ren commented. Ann rolled her eyes in a teasing manner, as she got used to her boyfriend's compliments. Ren took the opportunity to lay a quick kiss on her cheek, much to Ann's delight.

"I'm really gonna miss you, babe.." Ann suddenly tightened her embrace as she wrapped her arm around Ren's, not wanting to let go and ending this intimate moment they were sharing on the beach. "Uggh… I wish you could just stay with me forever."

"It's just as hard for me as it is for you.." Ren replied, leaning his head over to Ann's as they continued strolling along the beach. In a matter of days, Ren would have to board the train back to Kyoto to prepare for his classes. Ren comforted Ann. "But no matter how far the distance – I'll always find a way to make it back to you."

"You're such a cheesy guy.. but that's what I love about you." Ann giggled.

The couple continued walking down the beach, recounting their entire summer break, beginning when Ann moved in with Ren and his family for a couple of weeks to film her movie, to Ren rejoining the others in Tokyo to participate in the summer festival, as well as the chance to party at Rise Kujikawa's concert and gaining VIP access to hang out with her, even reflecting on the drama between them regarding Kasumi. The couple had their ups and downs in their relationship this last month, but both believed that these experiences strengthened their love for one another as their bond continued to mature.

"Ann.. There's something I want to give you." Ren spoke. Suddenly, he looked down and sighed as he began bending down on one knee.

"HUH? HEY!? W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ann suddenly hollered out, taking a step back as she watched her boyfriend remain on his knee.

"Picking up trash? Someone left their candy bar lying in the sand.." Ren explained, standing up as he held an empty wrapper of a chocolate bar in one hand. "Sorry.. I couldn't bare to leave it here.. What did you think I was doing?"

"Ohh… pssh, nothing! Ahhh.. of course – like, what else could you being doing that involved bending down on one knee, huh? Hahahahah.. ahah.. heh..." Ann coughed as she attempted to recover from the now awkward situation, much to Ren's confusion as he pocketed the candy wrapper to throw out later.

"Anyway.. turn around for me." Ren requested. Tilting her head in curiosity for a moment, Ann complied and turned her back towards Ren, wondering what he had planned. As she stood there, she glimpsed as Ren's hands went over her head as he began fastening something around her neck. Ann felt the object and realized that it was a handcrafted, silver necklace. The object on the end appeared to be half a heart piece, with Ann's name etched on it.

"Oh my goodness… Ren, where did you get this? It looks amazing!" Ann asked as she gently held the half-heart necklace in her fingers, admiring its craftsmanship.

"I crafted these in the attic of Cafe Leblanc using the old toolkit I used when I'd make various infiltration tools for our team." Ren explained. He showed Ann his version of the jewelry he made around his neck – being a gold necklace with the same half-heart design at the end with his own name etched into it. "It took me awhile to gather the materials – and my time was limited since we had so much band practices. But by grace, I managed to get them finished early this morning before we left for the beach."

He leaned closer to Ann as she took her hand holding the necklace and put his half-heart piece together with hers. Their half-heart designs from each jewelry seamlessly connected to each other, creating one bigger heart with both their names now connected.

"This necklace – will be a symbol of our bond – an image of our hearts unifying together to make one, stronger heart that will continue growing each passing day." Ren remarked. "We'll both be far away for awhile – but when we return to each other again, we'll connect our hearts together and share how we've both grown. There's no telling what the future may hold for us – but I promise you that at the end of the day, I'll be there for you when you need me."

"Ren… I'm so lucky to have you.." Ann leaned close and wrapped her hands around his shoulders, while Ren put his arms around her waist. As the waves of the ocean continued sweeping off in the distance and the glow of the sunset basking onto them, the couple simply stared into each other's eyes and embraced this special moment of their relationship.

Ren and Ann both leaned their heads forward and locked their lips together, embracing into a passionate kiss. Suddenly, Ann hopped forward and wrapped her legs around her boyfriend's waist as Ren held her up against him with both arms supporting her body. Ren was surprised by Ann's gesture and almost lost balance as he stepped back from her weight shifting against him, but he managed to maintain his stance as they continued kissing on the beach.

The couple took a moment to break from the kiss as they rested their foreheads against each other's – Ren still carrying Ann in his arms as she clung onto him.

"Promise that you'll never let me go." Ann whispered to Ren.

"I promise."

Off in the distance, Morgana sat atop the wooden railings of the beach boardwalk, observing as Ren and Ann continued with their intimate moment. He had to admit, the entire atmosphere of a sunset beach definitely made these romantic moments all the more glorious to watch.  _Ahhh yes.. Nothing better than the warm glow of the sunset cast upon the soft, sandy beach to really set the mood.. Go crazy, ya lovebirds!_

Morgana reflected on Ren and Ann's relationship – not only for the summer break, but ever since he discovered their relationship back on Valentines Day. The two had been through so many experiences together, yet their relationship seemed strong as ever and had no signs of being hindered.

Just a few months ago, Morgana had been head-over-heels for Ann Takamaki and felt a sting of pain to his heart every time she and Ren were together. But as he matured with his own feelings and began understanding his friend's special bond. Morgana learned to respect their feelings and move on from his own as he understood the concept of human relationships.

All this wouldn't have been possible if Lavenza hadn't made a contract with him to powering-up the Spirit Amulet.

 _I need to keep learning about Ren and Ann's bond – observe how their relationship will showcase the last remaining attributes._ Morgana pondered, looking down to the Spirit Amulet around his collar. At this moment,  **joy, service, loyalty** and  **kindness** stones shone brightly. The remaining stones he needed to discover included  **honesty, patience, common purpose** and last but not least,  **love.**

"You holding up?" Ken spoke, joining Morgana on the boardwalk, sensing that he was still bothered by Caroline's death in the Spirit Temple. "Mona-chan.. don't worry, we'll help you fight against the Shadows when you unlock the remaining attributes of the Spirit Amulet. You've got a full team to back you up!"

"Mweheheh.. Thanks for the kind words, Ken." Morgana replied, grateful of Ken's willingness to help. Morgana had to admit – he hit a lucky spot once again with the team of Persona-users by his side to complete his mission. He didn't want to bother the Phantom Thieves with this responsibility, as Morgana wished them to spend the remainder of their high school lives in peace and move on from their Persona-double life.

With Justine deciding to take a break from their adventures in the Spirit Temple to mourn Caroline, Morgana still had the talents of Yukari Takeba, Ken Amada and Rise Kujikawa – a full team of experienced Persona-users, with their goals to garner the energy of the Spirit Attributes and protect the bond of Ren and Ann.

"By the way.. I know you're a cat and all, but next time you call upon for our help – do you mind if I bring my dog, Korumaru?" Ken asked, much to Morgana's protest. "He's actually really useful! He can even utilize his own Persona!"

"What? A dog can use a Persona..? Grr… I'm intrigued." Morgana gritted his teeth – as a cat, his natural instinct was to hate dogs, but the idea of a Persona-using dog interested him. "Fine… but you have to keep him on a leash and keep him as far away from me as possible! I won't back down if he starts barking and licking my ears!"

Morgana and Ken looked off to the distance, watching as Ren and Ann were making their way back from the beach. Ken felt a pleasant feeling overcome his heart just by seeing the couple. "You gotta admit – those two are definitely something special. I sense such a strong drive and passion they have for each other."

"Yeah.. I'm.. really happy for them." Morgana commented. In his heart, he sensed that this was only the beginning for Ren and Ann's love to blossom.

_It's our duty to keep Ren and Ann safe – not only for their love to remain protected, but to ensure that pure relationships can still strive in this world.. That is now my purpose._

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	17. Fashion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ann's parents return to Tokyo – leading to confrontation. Ren deals with pressure about his future, while Ryuji begins to conflict with sudden feelings."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello fellow reader! Sorry for the delay from my usual scheduling time - I was out camping the whole weekend and unable to post online at the time.
> 
> Just wanted to give a comment about the new arc for this fic beginning in this chapter - it's truly going to test the bond between not only Ren and Ann's relationship, but their friends as well. Characters will act differently, there will be plenty of drama (that's the whole point) and there will be times of frustration - for both the characters and readers.
> 
> This sort of scenario has been lingering in my mind lately - plus it was based on an interaction I watched in P5 Dancing in Starlight, and I really wanted to dive deep into this scenario and push these characters to their limits - so I encourage y'all to keep an open mind with these new few chapters. I understand that this scenario may be super unlikely, but this is a territory I've wanted to try and write about and have planned for awhile, so let's see how it goes!
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Hope y'all have a good week :)

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 17: FASHION**

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Shujin Academy  
After School** _

* * *

The bells of Shujin Academy rang out as the students hustled their way out of their homerooms – finally completing their midterms for the week. Clad in their Winter uniforms, many of them sighed in relief after hours of studying and writing their tests.

"Whoooo! Another midterm complete! This calls for a celebration!" Futaba exclaimed, currently accompanied with Kasumi, Ann and Ryuji. The group made their way out of the hallways and stood near the gates, figuring out what their next plans were.

"I'm feeling really confident with my last exam." Kasumi expressed in delight. She gave a satisfied smile and turned over to Ryuji, noting the exhausted look on his face as he leaned against the school gate. "How are you Ryuji? You seem awfully relieved that exams are over."

"I'll be even more relaxed if I know I passed." Ryuji moaned. He felt his brain had just finished a triathlon. Ryuji  _hated_ exam periods – especially the studying portion. He looked over to Ann, who appeared to be in a good mood after her exams. "Huh.. you seem delighted. Must've been nice to have those late-night study sessions with Ren over the phone."

"Having a studying partner  _really_ helps out, Ryuji! Maybe one day you'll find someone who'll tolerate you." Ann teased him. She played around with her silver heart necklace that Ren gave her the day before he returned to Kyoto. Anytime Ann missed him, she would always look over to her necklace and remind herself of her other half across the country. The necklaces Ren made for them helped Ann feel close to him.

"Hey guys! Where are y'all off to?" a boy's voice called over to them. Running out of Shujin Academy was Mishima – sporting his usual spiky blue-tinted hair and uniform. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he greeted the group – but more specifically turning his attention towards Kasumi. Attempting to look cool, Mishima laid his hand against the same wall as Ryuji and leaned in a relaxed position. "Soooo, Yoshizawa-san… have any plans for tonight? Those exams  _totally_ made me hungry! If you'd like, we can get a bite to eat?"

"Sorry  _Nishima_! Us girls are eating out with our other friends!" Futaba rejected Mishima's advances for Kasumi, much to her friend's relief. "Why don't you join Ryuji? I don't think he's hanging out with anyone tonight.."

"Why do you say that like I'm some type of loner!" Ryuji stomped a foot towards Futaba in retaliation. "Besides, Ann and I were going to hang out later, right?"

Before Ann could answer him, a black, luxurious vehicle slowly drove up to the group and honked their horn. Its windows were tinted, so the group were unable to see inside. Ann quickly assumed that they were attempting to cat-call her. She went up to the car with fury in her steps. "What? Seriously? In front of a school? How rude! Why, I oughta-"

The windows of the vehicle slowly rolled down, revealing the two occupants in the front seat. The passenger was a middle-aged woman, wearing a fancy, pink knot dress with their blonde hair styled in majestic curls. The driver was a man around the same age, sporting a fashionable suit and had darker blonde hair styled into a combover.

"Good afternoon, my darling Ann-chan." Mrs. Takamaki elegantly greeted her daughter.

"Looking beautiful as ever, my sweet crepe." Mr. Takamaki leaned over and gave her daughter a gentle smile.

"MOM!? DAD?! Oh my gosssssh!" Ann hopped in excitement.

"Mom? Dad?" Ann's friends behind her repeated. They were just as surprised as Ann. Never having seen her parents before, the group momentarily forgot that they existed due to their absence. But suddenly they were in the flesh right in front of them.

"Come on, darling, let us go get some dinner. I'm sure you're starving after your exams!" Mrs. Takamaki motioned her daughter into the car, which Ann happily complied. She and Mr. Takamaki waved farewell to the others outside – who were still frozen in shock. "I hope you don't mind if we borrow our daughter for a moment. It was a pleasure seeing Ann-kun's friends!"

"I'll see you guys later!" Ann cheerfully waved goodbye as her family's car drove off.

"Huh… that happened pretty fast. Oh well, let's get some food, Kasumi!" Futaba grabbed her friend's arm as the two girls bid farewell to Ryuji and Mishima.

"Damn.. so much for hanging out..' Ryuji lowered his head in disappointment. He was looking forward to hanging out with Ann after such a long time. But now – like everyone else did, she left him alone once again.

"No worries, Ryuji! We can hang out together!" Mishima playfully nudged Ryuji's elbow.

"...Fine." Ryuji began walking forward, grumbling on how in the world he ended up stuck with Mishima. On the other hand, his friend happily followed him in ignorance to Ryuji's annoyance. Regardless – the two loners would get the chance to spend some quality bonding together.

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Wilton Hotel  
Evening** _

* * *

Saturday evening was one of the buffet's busiest hours as many hungry souls came to the fancy restaurant to eat at their hearts content. At the moment, the Takamaki family were enjoying a collection of desserts after a night of delicious foods. Ann and her parents had been sharing their own stories throughout the night – with Ann's parents describing their various fashion shows taking place in faraway cities such as Paris, New York - even Brazil!

"Wow! It sure sounded like you guys had fun! Wish I could've been there." Ann dug into her cheesecake and took another bite as she listened intently to her parent's stories about meeting a variety of fashion celebrities and designing for them.

"Ann-chan, you understand why you can't join us yet, remember?" Mrs. Takamaki reminded her daughter.

"I know, I know.. school is important too." Ann assured them. Deciding to change topics, she asked her parents of their business in Tokyo. "Mom, Dad, it's great seeing you and all, but why suddenly return to Tokyo unannounced? I thought you wouldn't be back until winter break?"

"We thought so too, but your mother and I were given an opportunity to come back to Japan to work on a special project given to us by chance." Mr. Takamaki dug into his bag hanging and took out a sleek, black binder. Turning the pages, he showed his daughter a variety of outfit designs and concepts, all revolving around the theme of autumn. "You see.. We've been given an opportunity to present a new line of works at this very hotel by our agency! We've managed to find a line-up of models to help us with the presentation and dinner for next week!"

"We like to call it this line of clothing,  _Falling for Fashion,_ to coincide with the change of season! Clever, isn't it Ann-kun?" Mrs. Takamaki giggled.

"Eheheh.. it's very  _punny_ , mom." Ann replied. In her mind, she couldn't help but cringe at the terrible play of words. But Ann was interested in her parent's designs – appreciating the colour tones of red, brown, orange and yellow, as well as the style of clothes which focused on elegant, yet comfy looking clothes appropriate for the brisk weather. "Mom, Dad, these designs look gorgeous! Uhm.. I hope this won't be a bother.. But could I possibly help you guys out? Just like before when I was a kid?"

"That is  _exactly_ why we're here, my sweet crepe!" Mr. Takamaki expressed with a smile. "Your mother and I have talked about it, and missed having our daughter in our fashion shows! It'll be a fine experience for us to bond as a family!"

"Yaay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ann cheered as she celebrated in her seat, causing her to gain the attention of on-lookers sitting around them. She began to twirl her finger through her hair as she blushed. "Ooops.. heheh, sorry, everyone! Please resume your buffet!"

"But before we can allow for you to help – there's one thing we need to confirm.." Mrs. Takamaki glanced to her husband - who simply nodded back.

"Ohh.. what is it?" Ann asked. She noted the serious demeanor her parents suddenly showed by their body language. Usually this stark contrast from their bubble personalities meant that they were about to talk business.

"Ann-kun… Do you happen to be in a relationship? Mr. Takamaki questioned. Both he and his wife glared at Ann, watching her stutter through her explanation.

"Uhh.. uhm.. like, what kind of relationship? Like ahh… friendship?" Ann stuttered, finding herself begin to sweat nervously. "Besides.. w-what are these assumptions based around on? All I've been focusing on was school work and modelling for the past couple months.. eheheh.."

"Ann-kun, I believe around last month, your husband and I were watching a live feed of the summer festival in Destinyland. And in not one, but  _two_ of the competitions held there, we saw you singing and dancing on-stage with another boy." Mrs. Takamaki explained.

"Yes.. And I believe the dear fellow even dedicated an  _entire_ song for you, mentioning that you were his  _special_ one." Mr. Takamaki paraphrased.

Ann froze in her seat as her heart skipped a beat. They were clearly talking about Ren serenading her during the musical competition. She hadn't been aware that the entire festival was broadcast for others to watch. Ann knew she couldn't act her way around this. She had to admit her relationship to her parents.

"Y-Yes.. mom, dad.. I  _am_ in a relationship." Ann sighed, lowering her head in defeat. Her parents waited patiently for her to further explain. "His name.. is Ren Amamiya. We me each other last year when he transferred over to Shujin. We've been dating for almost a year now.."

"I see.. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't he the aforementioned delinquent who assaulted that famous politician?" Mrs. Takamaki asked.

"He's not a delinquent! Our friends and I helped him clear his name against that rotten adult!" Ann immediately defended her boyfriend as she slammed her fist on the table, much to her parents surprise as they froze in silence. Realizing her sudden outburst, Ann took a moment to calm down and breathe. "I'm.. I'm sorry.. but believe me, Ren was  _never_ a bad person to begin with. He was taken advantage with his situation and treated unfairly."

"I understand, my sweet crepe.. but I must be honest, I am disappointed in your choice." Mr. Takamaki expressed, causing Ann to feel hurt by his lack of support. "I'm sorry.. but your mother and I had hoped to connect you with one of the many models we've had a pleasure to work with. There are  _so_ many other options that would better fit you."

"B-But… you don't even know him yet! Looks aren't everything to me!" Ann's voice began to escalate in the restaurant as she began gaining everyone else's attention. "Ren has been there for me since the  _very_  beginning - through one of the  _hardest_ times of my life – against Kamoshida's vile acts, helping me cope with Shiho's rehabilitation, the doubts I had with filming the Featherman movie. He  _truly_ loves me!"

"Ann-chan, all we want is for you to be happy. And your father and I truly want the best for you." Mrs. Takamaki gently assured her daughter. Noticing that Ann's fist were shaking in frustration on the table, Mrs. Takamaki offered a compromise. "Tell you what.. why don't you invite him to our fashion show next week – give us time to get to know the boy? Then your father and I will decide whether or not he is worthy."

"I agree with your mother. If he can live up to our expectations, then we shall allow him to court you, my sweet crepe!" Mr. Takamaki clasped his hands together, nodding in approval to the terms they had made.

"..Seriously? Does it matter if he fits  _your_ standards? Why can't it matter how  _I_ feel about him? This isn't your relationship – it's mine." Ann refuted, feeling further distressed. She suddenly pushed her chair out and stood up, attempting to hold back her tears. "Why does it matter to you how I feel anyway.. You're always off doing your own thing while I'm left alone with no one else."

"Ann-kun..." Mrs. Takamaki expressed weakly. She had never seen Ann react so strongly like this before.

"Just… forget about it.. I need some fresh air." Ann excused herself as she ran out of the restaurant, taking the elevator to the ground floor. After making it outside of the Wilton Hotel, Ann crouched down and began to cry. She couldn't believe that her parents didn't approve of her relationship with Ren. They didn't even give him a chance and they were already making assumptions about him. Sure – after expressing their disapproval, they were open to know him more, but their initial reaction of still hurt her.

 _Is this… What Ren was talking about? Why he was afraid of being_ _honest_ _about his relationship about us.. To his own parents?_  Ann thought as she wiped away her tears. To imagine that their love may not be approved by their own families pained her heart.

Would it mean that their love wasn't meant to be at all?

"Whoah… uhm.. Ann?" a voice spoke up. She looked up and noted Ryuji standing beside her, carrying a bag of groceries. "Dude.. why are you out here crying? I thought you were having dinner with your parents."

"Ohh.. Ryuji.." Ann sniffled, slowly standing up. "Wh-what are you doing out here this late?"

"I was just on my way back home after getting groceries for my mom. Then I saw you crying and couldn't help but check up on you." Ryuji explained. "Uhm… What happened? Did you guys have a fight?"

"Uggh… Something like that.. I don't want to talk about it right now.." Ann croaked. As she wiped her tears away, Ryuji sifted through his pockets and took out a handkerchief for her to use. Ann smiled and used it to clean the rest of her tears.

"Come on… Why don't we sit over on that bench and just.. you know.. chill?" Ryuji asked. Ann nodded and followed her friend over as they both sat down on the bench. The two took a moment to simply sit there in silence as the nightlife of Tokyo moved forward around them.

"So… Still figuring out why girls aren't yet jumping all over you since the music festival?" Ann asked. She referred to their band's performance after the music competition – as Ryuji had expected for a wave of girls to line-up and ask him out after their awesome performance.

"Heheh.. I kinda gave up on that.. Figured girls would be crawling over me by now.. But to be honest, your whole duet with Ren is what I've been hearing a lot of them talk about recently." Ryuji explained. "Gotta admit, what he did was pretty ballsy – but I guess any guy would've done that for a girl like you, Ann."

"Ryuji.. That's so sweet of you to say." Ann commented, smiling to her friend. She appreciated Ryuji to help clear her mind from the argument she had with her parents. In usual times of stress like this, she'd rely on Ren to be by her side. But none of that would be possible due to their long-distance relationship.

Right now, however - she sought for a comforting shoulder to lean on.

"Mind if I rest my head on your shoulder, Ryuji?" Ann asked.

"Uhh… sure?" Ryuji replied, caught off guard by her request. Ann slid on over beside Ryuji and gently laid her head on his shoulder, letting go of all her worries for a moment and relaxed with ease. As Ann rested her head on her friend's shoulder, Ryuji couldn't help but look over to her – and for the first time ever, he felt a rush of peace and joy unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

"Yo Ann. Mind if I confess something?" Ryuji asked. Ann replied with a yes. Taking a moment to breathe in, Ryuji confessed. "I remember seeing you back in middle school and thinking that you were one of the cutest girls I'd ever seen."

"Awww.. To be honest, I thought you were cute too, Ryuji." Ann giggled.

Hearing those words suddenly sparked something in Ryuji. With Ann still leaning her head on his shoulder, as well as the statement she just made, Ryuji's heart began to pound faster. It was as if he was realizing a feeling deep down inside him that he never bothered acknowledging due to his current thought process. But this small moment Ryuji and Ann were sharing was beginning to shed light to the  _desires_  of his heart.

"Uhm… Ann, I've got a question for you.. A-And.. this is totally hypothetical and doesn't mean anything at all." Ryuji stammered. Ann looked up with interest, curious to what her friend had to say. "Listen… Do you ever think there was ever a chance with us before?"

"A chance…? What do you mean?" Ann asked.

"I mean.. like what you have right now with Ren.. Do you think there ever was an opportunity for us back then to.. you know, hook up?" Ryuji said as straightforward as he could be.

"Ohhh.. uhm…" Ann took a moment to really ponder on his question. "...Yes. I think so."

"Damn… Okay, I was just curious, heh." Ryuji let out a forced chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. At first, a rush of relief overcame him, knowing that Ann had enough interest in him to even consider Ryuji as a viable partner. But because of her current, growing love with Ren, that reality wasn't possible.

And yet, that revelation suddenly tore at Ryuji's heart.

"Thanks for being here with me, Ryuji.. You're a good friend." Ann said with genuine kindness. "Well.. I think I should get back to my parents. They're my ride anyway, hehe. Take care of yourself on your way home. And say hi to your mom for me, mm'kay?"

"Yeah.. For sure." Ryuji stood up and smiled back. He watched as Ann made her way back into the hotel. Letting out a huge sigh, Ryuji slugged his shoulders down for a moment, before picking up the groceries his mom requested and began making his way back home. Throughout his entire commute, all he could think about was Ann.

_Why… Why do I feel like this..? Damn it, Ryuji.. Quit playing games with your own mind._

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Kyoto, Japan** _   
_**Okumaru Cafe  
Evening** _

* * *

"Great work, everyone! I'll see you guys tomorrow. Good night." Ren bid farewell to the staff at Okumaru Cafe as he completed his shift and began making his way through the quiet streets of Kyoto.

It was a month after Ren had returned from Tokyo to resume his classes at Horikawa Senior High School. Midterms had just finished for him. To pass the time, Ren would spend it after class working at Haru's coffee shop, helping out with coffee-brewing and conversing with their regular customers. As his third-year was halfway over, Ren's parent's began asking him on what he'd pursue in terms of a career and encouraged him to prepare for college entrance exams.

...

" _The teachers at school have told me you've been doing well in your classes Ren-kun." Mrs. Amamiya commented one night during their dinner. "Have you decided on what you'd like to pursue for your post-secondary education? I have some recommendations of classes for you at the university I'm working at."_

" _..I haven't really decided yet, mom." Ren replied, focusing on his dinner._

" _Well, the sooner you choose, the more time you'll have to prepare, son." Mr. Amamiya advised. "How about engineering? You're good at math! There's a whole variety of fields you can look at – civil, mechanical, biomedical - what interests you the most, son?"_

" _I'm not sure.." Ren responded._

" _Whatever you decide on, your father and I will support you. We simply request you to continue remaining disciplined in your studies and ensure no distractions will hinder your progress." Mrs. Amamiya added, providing a gentle smile to her son. "We know how much harder you've worked ever since those false allegations regarding Masayoshi Shido had been dropped. This second chance for you to live a normal life is a blessing, Ren-kun. Don't take it for granted."_

" _Got it, mom" Ren nodded back, still maintaining his focus on his dinner._

_..._

Ren stared intently at the ground as he continued traversing through the peaceful streets of Kyoto, with the street lamps illuminating his path as he reflected upon the conversation with his parents. They had recently become very vocal with pushing Ren to pursue a lucrative career path – yet he was less enthusiastic compared to his parents. The entire month ever since he returned home from summer break, his mind had been focusing on other things – such as finishing up high school, attending to his job at Okumaru Cafe, and most of all – his current relationship with Ann Takamaki.

 _My relationship.. I still haven't told my parents about her.._ Ren sighed. From his perspective, it had been almost an entire year since he and Ann began dating, and yet his parents had no clue she was Ren's girlfriend. Being the gentle sweetheart, Ann understood of Ren's hesitation to express the truth – but overtime, Ann gently pushed her concern to Ren with wanting to confess their relationship to his parents.

 _It'd only cause more problems.. They wouldn't approve me of being in any relationship.._ Rens reminded himself. As much as he wanted to express his love for Ann to his parents, he knew that this would be going against their wishes – which could lead to further consequences such as straining his parent's trust to him.

But the longer Ren hid the truth, the less patience Ann maintained and the more it hindered their own relationship from growing. Heck - even when Ann stayed at Ren's home during her time of filming the Feathermen movie – she chose to stay out of their house at dinner hours to prevent suspicion and to avoid the constant comparison his parents made of her towards Ren's other female friends.

Ren took a moment to fiddle around with his heart necklace. Ann held the other piece that Ren crafted for her back in Tokyo. His mind indulged toward deeper thoughts and a brief moment of turmoil about having to hide his relationship with Ann from his parents.

_Timing is important.. But when will it be the right time? I can't continue promising Ann anything without action.. She deserves better._

"Something on your mind?" Morgana peeked his head out of Ren's bag and nudged him by the snout. Ren smiled over to Morgana. He barely expressed his gratitude toward his feline friend, but Ren was grateful for his companionship.

"Not much, Mona." Ren replied. Morgana simply rolled his eyes, denying to believe Ren's statement.

_Hmph! You can't hide your true feelings from me, Ren.. I've been observing your relationship with Ann for the past six months to power-up this stupid Spirit Amulet.. You can't hide anything from me!_

Morgana's head lowered as his heart sank, reminding himself of the mission he now assigned himself – to continue learning about human relationships from Ren and Ann in order to fully power-up the Spirit Amulet. His mission now held a heavier burden to revive the life of Caroline. Her body was currently in the possession of Justine as she continued mourning for her sister. Morgana hadn't heard from Justine for an entire month – understandable as she was most likely still grieving.

Still, Morgana felt responsible in completing the contract the twins had requested him to do. If it wasn't for both the twins and their true form – Lavenza – to give Morgana new purpose in life, he would have continued sulking over Ann about his feelings not being returned.

_I need to continue protecting Ren and Ann's bond – if I want to have a shot at bringing Caroline back to life._

Ren eventually arrived home and greeted his parents. Heading straight to his bedroom, he began preparations to go sleep when his phone notified him of an on-coming video chat. A small smile covered his face – seeing a picture of Ann pop up on his lock-screen. Answering the video call, Ren greeted her, only to immediately noticed the distressed look on his girlfriend's face

"Ann? Hey.. what's on your mind" Ren asked, taking a moment to sit down on his bed.

" _Uhm… babe, I have something to tell you.. It's about my parents."_ Ann began. She was currently sitting in her bed, still in her Shujin uniform as she just arrived home with her parents after their argument at the Wilton Hotel.

"Tell me about it." Ren said without hesitation.

Ann sighed and took a moment to explain her current situation regarding her parents – mentioning how they surprised her at Shujin Academy, took her out for dinner and how every thing was going smoothly with their reunion – until they confronted about her regarding Ren, and Ann being honest about her feelings which led to her parent's disappointment. Throughout her story, Ren listened intently in silence, taking in every single word Ann was saying.

" _So yeah.. That's where I am right now.."_  Ann sighed. She began to feel tears welling up in her eyes once again, as the initial pain she had managed to move on from her parent's disapproval was coming back.  _"I'm sorry, babe.. But I just felt offended for the both of us when they expressed their_ _honest_ _opinions. I love them, Ren.. and I guess hearing those words from my own parents is what makes it hurt a lot more than it should be."_

"I mean.. You can't really blame your parents, Ann. They don't know me personally, so it's normal for them to have their doubts and to be wary of my character." Ren reasoned. Ann remained silent, with the occasional sniffling here and there as Ren continued. "But I have to give them credit for being open to meeting me. My parents would probably shun me out completely at even the thought of me being in a relationship."

" _I.. think I fully understand what you meant by taking your time to reveal the truth to your parents, babe."_  Ann began to empathize.  _"I guess I rushed things on my end. And now, look where it's gotten me. I feel so horrible for screaming at my parents – but I couldn't lie to myself. I had to be honest about my feelings and fight for what I believe in – and that's letting them know how much I truly love you."_

Ren felt his heart skip a beat at the mention of the word love. This simple four-letter word – one which they barely used often, but had so much impact. They were the type of couple who'd express their love through action – but to hear Ann be honest with her love for Ren suddenly ignited a drive to resolve this issue.

"Ann.. Didn't you mention your parents wanted to meet me at their fall fashion show?" Ren wanted to confirm. Ann nodded back to him. "Alright – I've decided. I'll come to Tokyo next weekend and give 'em the best first impression they'll ever see as your boyfriend!"

" _R-Really? You're actually going to do that?"_  Ann felt her heart melt from her boyfriend's confidence. She began to feel a lot better hearing that Ren would do anything he could to cast away her parents doubts and to truly fight for his relationship with Ann.  _"Babe.. I don't know what to say.. It truly means a lot to me that you're willing to do this.. Thank you."_

"Ann.. We've been through  _so_  much these last couple months.. Eventually, it would have come to the point where we'd need to be honest with our own family." Ren stated. He felt that he was preaching to himself at the same time - speaking towards his own situation. If Ann was confident in being honest with her parents about her bond with Ren – then he should be able to gather the strength to be honest with his own parents – eventually.

As Morgana listened to Ren and Ann's conversation, he couldn't help but note the honesty in their feelings in their current situation. Ann had been able to be honest with her parents – and it momentarily took a toll towards her own spirit. Yet, she was strong enough to be honest to Ren and confess what her parents had to say about him - as she had the option to omit their hurtful words and spare his feelings.

But Ren was able to console Ann and relate her struggles to his own parents. Ren was honest with his own feelings and showcased his passion to prove their doubts wrong. He was willing to take the risk and present the genuine person he was to Ann's parents in order to remove any false image and assumptions they currently had of him.

_Honesty in human relationships.. This trait – probably the greatest one to challenge our own sense of vulnerability – Yet the fruits of labor are grand when you are able to overcome those fears and to not run away but instead face the truth.. I think I'm starting to understand now._

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Ryuji's Bedoom  
Midnight** _

* * *

Within a dimly lit apartment room, Ryuji sat on his bed as he was fixated on his television screen as he was focused on his video game. Around him were shelves of manga, sports equipment and trophies he had earned during middle school. Various other equipment and snacks were scattered mindless around the space.

"Well.. Guess I can call it a night." Ryuji sighed, throwing his controller to the table in the centre as he used his remote to shut off his television. He took one final glance at the open textbook and empty notebook in front of him, which were left untouched after he had returned home from picking up the groceries for his mother – now asleep in the other room.

 _Ehh… So much for studying.._ Ryuji thought as he fell backwards onto his bed. His jumbled thoughts were the only accompaniment to him within his dark, silent bedroom. Studying was the last thing he wanted to do that night. His mind had been distracted the entire night his conversation with Ann earlier kept repeating in his head.

_Damnit, Ryuji.. Why is she suddenly stuck in your mind?_

In frustration, Ryuji snatched the pillow from the head of his bed and threw it across the floor, hitting against the door leading to his balcony. He sat upright at the edge of his bed, rubbing his eyes as he attempted to clear his mind,

_Ann is off-limits. She's the girlfriend of your best bro. It's not right to think of her like that._

A question kept popping into his head: Why  _now_  did he suddenly see Ann as someone  _more_ than a friend? Was it now because she was currently in a relationship, which caused Ryuji to see her in a different light? It was completely wrong of him to think of her like that anyway – but his mind kept calling back to the moment they shared together that night when he found her crying alone outside Wilton Hotel.

_The way she rested her head on my shoulder.. How she felt so comfortable around me.. Bringing up the possibility that we could have been together.. Why say something like that now? When she's now dating my best friend!?_

A side of him began to reveal itself, one of loss, yearning, confusion and envy. Ryuji and Ann had known each other for so long, yet none of them appeared to had made a move on each other – instead, their bond had remained stagnant, resulting to nothing more than friends. Ryuji thought that he was comfortable with this reality, but seeing for the past couple months how Ann was so affection and caring in her relationship with Ren – Ryuji couldn't help but wish he had something like that.

 _The thing is.. I could've had something like that.. If only I'd just realized my feelings sooner.. If I had just been_ _honest_ _to myself the entire time instead of believing it was something else._

Ryuji recalled to the many times he and Ann teased, argued and joked around with each other during their many hangouts. In hindsight, Ryuji began to realize how in many of those moments, his heart always raced at the sight of her. He had grown close to Ann - especially with their time together as the Phantom Thieves. Only to now realize that his heart had been yearning for her kind, compassionate and gentle personality to bless him with intimacy and genuine love.

_No.. No, you can't think like that! This is betraying your friends! You can't see Ann like that – not when she's with Ren right now!_

At first, Ryuji began to beat himself up over these thoughts – feeling as if he was acting an impure action simply by just thinking about it. But at the same time, Ryuji didn't blame himself. All the cards had been dealt in his favor to have pursued a deeper relationship with Ann beforehand.

Only for a wild card to show up – represented none other by  _Ren Amamiya_.

 _But to be honest.. If Ren had never shown up.. Maybe I could've been with Ann instead._ Ryuji pondered at the possibility. Sure – they may not have been able to form the Phantom Thieves, but at least he would've been with Ann and shared many of those intimate moments like she'd done with Ren, right?

Ryuji continued pondering about these thoughts. It was as if his heart had now become susceptible to these selfish desires of jealousy and envy against Ren. Instead of fighting against these twisted ideals – Ryuji allowed his heart to feed on them. Gradually, his guilt began to subside as he entertained the idea of growing his bond with Ann in the meantime.

Suddenly, the sound of his ringtone emitted into the bedroom as his cellphone vibrated on the table. Looking over to the name on his screen, Ryuji's heart skipped a beat when he noted that it was Ann. Ryuji eagerly picked up and answered.

" _Hey there! Sorry.. is it too late to call you?"_ Ann asked.

"Hell no! Heheh, don't worry 'bout." Ryuji assured her. "What's up?"

" _Okay! Well, listen, I have a favor to ask you."_ Ann began. She began to explain the entire event regarding her parent's fashion show coming up next week that she had already told Ren about. After calming down and managing to talk to her parents with a level-head, they eventually gave Ann permission to invite her friends to the event.  _"I thought, you know.. maybe this could be a good time for us to catch up? We hadn't hung out together much since summer break. I know this isn't really your type of thing, but I thought'd it'd be fun for everyone!"_

"Hmm, yeah, actually I'd be down for that." Ryuji answered, much to the surprise of Ann. He coughed for a moment and continued. "Is Ren going to be there too?"

" _Heheh.. Of course! I know you miss him as much as I do – well, maybe more from my end than you, hehe."_ Ann answered happily.  _"But he won't be here until next week and I want to get him something fancy to wear. You almost have the same sizes as him, so I was wondering if you could come along with me tomorrow and help out with some shopping? Plus, I could help fit you with something nice as well to wear for the event. Please, Ryuji?"_

Ryuji's heart began to pound faster after hearing Ann's words – especially when she said "please", The way Ann didn't hesitate to reach out to him for assistance made Ryuji feel special. This had to be a sign that he meant a lot to her. And this was his moment to spend more time with Ann and to simply figure out his true feelings for her. In addition to Ryuji's defense - it wasn't exactly a date, but simply an errand that Ryuji would closely accompany Ann with. There was no way he was directly harming his relationship between him and Ren, right?

Finally deciding his answer, Ryuji accepted Ann's request.

"Yeah, Ann. Of course I'd have the time to help."

"Great! So, I'll see you tomorrow then?" Ann asked to confirm.

"Yeah! I can't wait for us to hang out together." Ryuji assured her, much to Ann's delight. The two of them both said goodnight as Ann ended the call. Ryuji sighed as he suddenly couldn't wait for tomorrow to come. He decided to push his worries aside regarding what Ren may think and focused on his time with Ann the next day.

_Ann and I.. We're just hanging out.. Nothing more than just friends._

Unknown to Ryuji - his mind was being affected by a power out of his own control.

_**.** _

_**..** _

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	18. Ballroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ryuji's feelings for Ann continue to grow. Ren finally meets Ann's parents – where tensions begin to arise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fellow reader! Not much to say this week - but today we've got a beefy chapter to read. Still no regrets to where I'm taking this scenario and characters hehe. Cheers!

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 18: BALLROOM**

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Harajuku, Takenoko Street  
After School** _

* * *

Ann and Ryuji arrived at the busy shopping district as it began to flood with people. With her parent's Fall Fashion Show coming up that weekend, Ann planned to invite her friends to spend a night of fancy dining and to experience an exquisite showcase of upcoming fashion designs. Ryuji had to admit – he wasn't  _too_  keen with checking out these types of shows – or fashion, in general.

But if Ann was going to be there – Ryuji could find a way to tolerate it.

_Come on, dude.. Take the time to figure out your feelings.. This is two of your best friends you're talking about._

Ryuji was still at conflict with himself as he now realized his feelings for Ann last night. For the time being, he knew it was wrong to think of Ann as more than a friend with her current relationship with Ren. But at the same time, Ryuji felt a sense of entitlement due to his longer bond with Ann, as well as her confession admitting that she would've given him a chance had Ren not made a move on her.

_This whole time.. I may have liked Ann, but I thought it was only because we were just friends.. But we've known each other for so long.. Could there still be a chance for us?_

"Thanks again for coming with me! It'll be  _really_ helpful to have you as a size reference to help me buy Ren's clothes – as well as yours!" Ann smiled to Ryuji as they both walked side-by-side. With permission to use her parent's funds, Ann was able to spend as much as she desired on clothes in order to dress-up her friends to make them stand out on the night of the event.

"Well, I'll trust you to make us look good – although, in my case, that won't be  _too_  hard due to my super cool natural looks!" Ryuji teased as he posed his hands in a prideful manner, giving off a laid-back look with his eyes.

"Oh Ryuji.. Gotta give you props for your confidence at least." Ann playfully wrapped an arm around Ryuji's shoulders in a friendly manner and winked. "Don't worry! I'll help make you look super suave so you'll attract the attention of  _all_  the models at the show! Maybe you'll be lucky to get one of their numbers, eh?"

Usually, Ryuji would be excited at the idea of supermodels lining themselves up for him. But this time, he wasn't so sure if he wanted that anymore. Why pay attention to all those attractive bodies you don't even know, when he already had a bond with someone who looked great  _and_ had such a kind personality?

Even if Ryuji thought of Ann to be a  _little_ overbearing at times. But he'd learn to tolerate it eventually.

"Ooooh! Let's check this shop! I believe there's a shirt that would totally look good on Ren!" Ann excitedly grabbed Ryuji's arm and dragged him into one of the many clothing shops. Ann made Ryuji her guinea pig as she gathered a bunch of clothes and put them on him. Ryuji complied in order to impress Ann.

"Uhh… I actually don't know how to tie a tie." Ryuji confessed, standing in front of a mirror as he sported a gray dress shirt with a black vest that Ann chose for his own outfit. Ryuji fumbled his fingers as he initiated his ninth attempt to tie the tie - to no avail as it ended up as another folded up mess around his neck.

"Uggh… You're hopeless. Come here." Ann went up to Ryuji as she took the tie around his neck and began to fold it appropriately.

As Ann did the tie, Ryuji noticed how close she was to him. Ann hadn't paid attention to their distance as she solely focused on the task. Ryuji felt his heart beat faster as all he could do was stand there since he was technically stuck in Ann's grasp.

 _This.. actually feels kinda nice.. Being close to her and all.. Is this how Ren always feels like?_ Ryuji thought to himself, smiling as he kept his gaze at Ann. She kept her eyes still fixated on his tie, unaware of Ryuji staring at her.

"There you go! Try to learn how to do your tie next time, Ryuji. I can't always be there to help you, heh." Ann stated, tightening the tie around Ryuji's neck until it was a snug fit. She took a step back and evaluated the attire she made for Ryuji. "Whoah.. You actually look good."

"Guess I got you to thank for that." Ryuji commented, looking into the mirror as he turned his body around to glance at all angles of his outfit. He gave out a long whistle of approval. "Damn.. I  _do_  look good!"

"Heheh, right? Ain't I amazing at fashion? You're gonna make an awesome first impression with all the models you'll see at the fashion show!" Ann playfully punched Ryuji's shoulder. "Now come on! Take them clothes off and let's pay it along with Ren's clothes!"

"Yo Ann.. Uhmm, you doin' anything after this?" Ryuji called out to her. Ann turned around, taking a moment to think before shaking her head. Ryuji hesitated for a moment and looked down, contemplating whether he should ask her to spend more time. "Hey… Wanna grab a bite to eat, or something? I'm really starving."

"Ohh.. Yah, sure! Lemme just pay for the clothes and we can be on our way!" Ann nodded.

As she made her way to the cashier, Ryuji took a moment to stare at Ann before removing his outfit. He wondered if he was going past boundaries asking out Ann, especially behind his friend's back. Ryuji immediately shook the thought away – seeing no reason to feel guilty about his decision.

Friends could always ask friends out on dates, right?

There was no ill intention whatsoever, regardless if Ryuji's feelings for Ann began to grow more throughout the day.

_We're just hanging out… Nothing more, right? It's not going to hurt Ren in anyway._

* * *

_**A couple hours later...** _

The pair made their way to a nearby coffee shop and took the time to order coffee – something Ryuji now tried to adapt, seeing as Ann loved to drink coffee along with having a small treat on the side. Usually he'd have a bottle of any soft drink, but to connect with Ann better, he decides to suck it up and adapt his taste to the caffeinated drinks.

"You sure you're good with coffee? They have some lemonade you can try if you want.." Ann suggested.

"Y-Yeah! Don't worry, this stuff ain't so bad.. Eheh.." Ryuji tried to assure her as he took small sips from his coffee. Even with three spoons of both sugar and cream, Ryuji still flinched at the bitterness of the drink.

Ryuji and Ann began to talk throughout the evening, conversing about their school work, friends, their daily lives and even what they wanted to pursue after graduation. Throughout the night, Ryuji noted Ann smiling and laughing the entire time – obviously enjoying his presence as a friend. Ryuji felt the same way as well, except being able to take joy even more at the revelation of his feelings for Ann and allowing it to amplify his bond with Ann. Seeing her in a different light made Ryuji's heart beat with in a way that he'd never felt before.

But the constant reminder that Ann was taken by Ren lingered in Ryuji's mind.

"So… how are you and Ren doin' so far?" Ryuji asked, looking down to his coffee as he absentmindedly tapped a finger on the side of the mug to maintain his cool.

"Ohh.. Yeah, we're doing good. I still miss being with him ever since he left back home to Kyoto, but every time I do, I always look at the gift he gave me before leaving." Ann caressed the heart necklace around her neck – the jewelry reminding her of their bond and that not matter the distance between her and Ren, that their hearts were always close together.

"I see.. You two must have been through a lot these past couple months.. Y'all really do love each other, huh?" Ryuji let out a deep sigh. Ann immediately noticed the bothered look on his face.

"Hey.. Ryuji, what's wrong?" Ann asked.

"Nothing.. I guess I'm now realizing that seeing you both happy in a relationship… Kinda makes me wish I was in one myself." Ryuji confessed, keeping his gaze down at his coffee, unable to look up to Ann as he discussed the honest desires of his heart.

"Ohh.. Ryuji, don't be too hard on yourself! I'm sure that you'll find someone special in your life! You just have to keep looking to find that  _one_ girl you can share a strong, natural bond with!" Ann attempted to comfort her friend. "I just  _know_ that there is a partner for you that will make you happy, Ryuji!"

"Ann.. dude,  _you_  make me happy." Ryuji let out. His words suddenly made Ann freeze in her seat as she took a moment to comprehend his words. Ryuji took a deep breath, finally deciding to spill the contents of his mind out and be honest about his growing feelings for the past months. "Damn it, Ann.. I know that this is such bad timing. But damn.. I think I like you a lot, for real!"

"Ryuji… Where the hell is all this coming from?" Ann demanded, feeling her heart race in confusion and shock.

"Listen.. I know back in April, I said that I supported you and Ren. But overtime my feelings have changed. Or should I say more accurately, I'm realizing how I've actually felt about you for the longest time." Ryuji took every ounce of his energy to finally look up at Ann. "I haven't been honest with myself these past couple months! This whole time, I've liked you, Ann!"

Ann's eyes widened, unable "What the hell, Ryuji? Why are you telling this to me now? You  _know_ I'm in a relationship with Ren right now!"

"I know! But what I'm saying is.. Us.. we had  _so_ much potential between us! And I've thought long and hard about it last night and this entire day – but  _we_ could've grown into something more!" Ryuji began to speak intensely. "Hell, even  _you_ said that there could've been a chance for us – but because of Ren getting in the  _damn_  way, that ain't possible anymore!"

"How  _dare_ you blame me for confusing your feelings - and  _especially_  taking it out on Ren too! He's your best friend for crying out loud!" Ann began to argue back.

"Then why the  _hell_ would you tell me about  _your_ feelings then?" Ryuji argued. "Like how last night you said we would've had a chance together before?"

"It was in the moment! I didn't think you'd actually act upon what I said!" Ann defended herself.

"No.. I  _won't_ accept that! You've gotta reconsider, Ann!" Ryuji insisted. "Admit it – you also had feelings for me too! But we just never acted upon them. Now that we're being honest with each other – we can start anew, right? R-Ren would understand, right?"

"Stop it, Ryuji! This isn't like you! You're not thinking straight! Uggh.. I can't hear this anymore. I'm leaving." Unable to take any more of Ryuji's nonsense, Ann got up from her seat and gathered her belongings.

"No.. Wait, Ann, please!" Ryuji stood up, blocking her way. Ann tried to get around him, but Ryuji kept stepping in her way. Eventually, Ryuji grabbed onto her arm in an attempt to get her attention, causing her to squirm in her grip as she attempted to escape.

"Hey! Stop! Let me go! Ryuji! HEY!" Ann shouted. Ryuji's grip suddenly tightened as it began to hurt her circulation. In a desperate attempt, Ann slapped Ryuji right in the cheeks, causing him to let go and flinch back, rubbing his face as he yelped in pain. Ann gasped and held her hand over her mouth in disbelief at what she had just done.

Ryuji and Ann simply stared at each other in silence, unable to process what was happening. This relaxing day of shopping suddenly escalated to a confrontation. Without saying a word, Ann grabbed her bags and booked it out of the coffee shop. Ryuji, still recovering from the slap he took, sat back down in his seat and slammed a fist against the coffee table.

His mind constantly bombarded with sudden negative thoughts - _ones that weren't his own._

_Damnit Ryuji… Effin' damnit! You messed everything up!_

Outside, Ann was hurrying through Takenoko Street, heavily breathing as she wiped away the tears that begin to well up in her eyes. She couldn't believe Ryuji had done this to their bond. His honesty in hopes to win Ann's heart caused a whole mess to occur between them.

What were they going to do now?

A whole rush of emotions – frustration, angst, despair – cycled through Ann's mind as she wished this entire ordeal Ryuji had brought up hadn't happened at all.

This was  _not_ the Ryuji she knew anymore.

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Wilton Hotel Ballroom  
Evening** _

* * *

A week had passed as the Autumn Ball event finally arrived. Ren and Morgana had made their way from Kyoto to attend the event. After meeting up with Ann and getting into his outfit she had bought for him, they made their way over to the Wilton Hotel to the ballroom floor where the fashion event was being held. Ann's parents had made their way over to the event earlier to help set-up, while Ren and Ann would meet up with them when it started.

"You're looking  _really_ good, babe.. Like,  _really_ good!" Ann complimented, taking a moment to fix her boyfriend's collar. The duo were alone in the elevator, awaiting their arrival to the ballroom floor. The outfit Ann chose for Ren included a dark crimson blazer with matching slacks, a black vest over a white dress shirt, black dress shoes and white ascot tie to finish off the look. Ren didn't wear his glasses as it didn't necessarily compliment the entire look Ann prepared for him. Regardless, Ren looked sophisticated in his outfit.

"You're just as dazzling too, Ann." Ren complimented back. Ann wore an elegant red dress to match Ren's crimson attire. The end of the puffy dress made it down just above her knees as she wore red high-heels, while the top was sleeveless, exposing the skin of her arms and upper chest where the dress fit snugly around her breast area. A transparent, pink shawl covered Ann's shoulders. Ann styled her hair into a more elegant version of her pigtails that were straightened downwards, along with the rest of her hair. To finish off her look, a red rose was worn on the side of her head.

To match their complimenting outfits, the pair wore their heart necklaces that Ren crafted for them.

"I'm just glad you're back, babe.. Even for this one night." Ann commented. In her mind, however, many things were running through it that kept her from fully enjoying this special occasion. First of all, this would be the first time Ren would meet her parents. For the days following up, they still expressed their disinterest with Ren and pushed Ann to pursue one of the many models they hired for their fall fashion event - much to Ann's annoyance.

The second thing - was her current state with Ryuji. The pair hadn't talked since their argument last week. Ann still wanted Ryuji to come, so she had texted him that he was still welcome to attend the event. The last thing she noted of her message was that it was read by him with no follow-up. Ann only hoped that Ryuji wasn't planning to do anything else to cause their situation to become even more awkward – especially now with Ren in the city.

Morgana peered out from Ann's purse, sporting his own little red bowtie around his collar to match the couple. He looked up to Ann and noted her slightly distressed look on her face.

 _Lady Ann looks beautiful tonight.. But I can sense worry from her.. What's going through her mind right now?_ Morgana thought.

"Ann.. You okay?" Ren asked, also noting his girlfriend's worried look. Ann attempted to assure she was fine, but gave a nervous look as she kept staring forward while waiting for the elevator to reach their floor. Deciding to help relieve her, Ren planted a quick kiss on her cheek and smiled. "Did that make you feel better?"

"Hehe.. just a bit." Ann giggled, feeling herself blush. The last time they had kissed was back when summer break ended. After the emotional rollercoaster she endured the last couple days, Ren's kisses were a much welcome distraction.

The elevator doors opened as Ren and Ann entered the Wilton Ballroom. The entire room was themed with an elegant fall theme – with the room giving off a warm, relaxing atmosphere through the use of specific color tones of red, orange, brown and white decorating the space. Candles lit up the area, with branches of autumn leaves hung around the room.

Live music emitted from the gigantic room, which consisted of two floors – one with the main runaway going through the centre where the models would showcase the latest autumn clothing. Dining tables were placed around the sides for guest to sit down and relax while talk amongst themselves as they ate dinner served to them. The second floor consisted of two balconies to the side of the room overlooking down the runaway, consisting of more tables of a bird's eye view of a show, along with displays of the article of clothing to be shown in the fashion show.

"Alright.. Let's do this." Ann wrapped her arm around Ren's as they both looked at each other and nodded. This was the moment they've been waiting all week – the time when Ann introduced Ren to her parents.

"Ren! Ann! Over here!" a voice called out to them. Turning their heads to the source, they found Kasumi sitting among one of the dining tables along with Futaba. The two of them were the only ones who could make it last minute – as Makoto and Haru were busy with their assignments for university, while Yusuke was currently participating at an art exhibition elsewhere for his school.

"Futaba! Kasumi! It's so good to see you!" Ann happily greeted them, giving each of them a hug. The two girls were wearing the dresses Ann specifically chose for them – with Futaba wearing an elegant emerald green dress with her hair tied up in a ponytail, while Kasumi wore a black long sleeved gown. Ann had a big smile on her face just looking at her friends. "You girls look  _so_ gorgeous!"

"Ugh… I hate wearing dresses.. They feel so tight and.. girly." Futaba grumbled, taking her time to re-adjust her chest for the seventeenth time. She pointed up to the balcony above them. "By the way, Ryuji is here as well. Although he decided to hang out upstairs instead."

"Oh.. Okay, good to know.." Ann answered. She and Ren looked up and saw Ryuji leaning against the balcony looking down to them. He was dressed up in the same outfit Ann helped him fit in from the night they hung out at Takenoko Street. Ryuji immediately turned around and disappeared from sight when he noticed Ann looking at him.

 _So.. He did come.. Hopefully things won't be too awkward._ Ann pondered. She hadn't told Ren about the incident with her and Ryuji, praying that it would all just blow over with time. Ann didn't want to risk their friendship as well. If Ren had known that Ryuji had feelings for her the entire time they had dated, then the bond between the three of them would get  _very_  complicated.

"Well.. look who we have here. If it isn't Ann Takamaki and her little squad." Mika's voice suddenly spoke from behind. Ann turned around to find her rival standing smugly in front of her with Tatsuya Suou accompanying Mika. Ann assumed that her parents invited them to the show, considering they were both also models.

"How are you doing, Takamaki-san?" Tatsuya greeted, relieved to see another familiar face at the ball. He himself sported a completely black tuxedo fitted with a bowtie.

"Oh, I'm doing well! Great to see you again, Tatsuya!" Ann waved to him. She grabbed Ren's arm and reintroduced them to each other. "You guys remember my boyfriend - Ren Amamiya, right?"

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Suou-san." Ren greeted Tatsuya as both men shook hands. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time we talked in Kyoto, you mentioned that you were going to get back into auto-mechanics while you awaited entry to the police academy?"

"Of course I am, but I got an invite to this whole event, so I decided, why not show up and relax for the night?" Tatsuya explained. He shrugged in slight embarrassment. "Come on, who's gonna turn down a party where you get to dress up fancy and eat super expensive food?"

"Well.. At least the dude is honest." Futaba commented from the side.

"So, Takamaki-san! I heard that you and Ren had special privilege to meet up with Rise Kujikawa back in August.. is that right?" Mika crossed her arms as she raised an eyebrow, attempting to look like she didn't care as much as she asked the question. "What was the occasion? Was there some sort of  _Make-A-Wish_  event or whatever that gave you the special opportunity?

"Not at all, Mika! We  _earned_ our time with Rise! Are you just jealous that I'm now close with her?" Ann suddenly fired back.

"Psssssh! So what? Still feels like a waste of time on Risette's part. Her time would've been spent more wisely if it was  _me_ she hung out with!" Mika began to argue.

"Oh please! Everything just  _has_ to be about you, doesn't it, Mika?" Ann retaliated. She and Mika began to stare at each other intimidatingly as sparks began to fire between them. Attempting to de-escalate things, Ren and Tatsuya calmed down both of their respective partners.

"Okaaay… Why don't we go on ahead and meet your parents?" Ren began to rub both of Ann's shoulders from behind in an attempt to calm her down. Tatsuya did the same thing and suggested that he and Mika should get something to drink. The two girls both agreed and made their separate ways, leaving Futaba, Kasumi and Morgana at the dining table.

"Geez… Unnecessary drama, much?" Futaba rolled her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Kasumi and gave her a smile. "This is why you're my favorite, Kasumi! There's absolutely  _no_ hostility or competition between us! Just platonic love all around!"

"I feel the same way, Futaba!" Kasumi exclaimed.

"Awww.. You girls are so wholesome. It's a nice change from the  _usual_  relationship drama I've been dealing with the past months.." Morgana commented, reflecting on his entire mission in being the guardian of Ren and Ann's bond. Things had been quiet for him recently due to the long-distance between Ren and Ann, but Morgana sensed advancement in the plot for tonight, noting the unusual worry emitting from Ann.

 _Let's see how everything plays out tonight._ Morgana thought.

_**...** _

"Mom! Dad!" Ann went up to her parents near the runaway of the ballroom, giving the both of them a hug as they were finalizing last-minute preparations for the fashion event scheduled within the hour. Ann began introducing Ren to her parents. "Mom, Dad.. This is Ren Amamiya, the boy I've been mentioning this entire week and who I've dated for awhile now."

"I see.. Hmm.. Interesting.." Mr. Takamaki rubbed his chin as he evaluated Ren and his overall attire, making small comments on what he noted from face value. "Hmm… Nice choice of colour tones for your outfit– obviously influenced by my daughter's work. Average build – yet the hairstyle is such a mess. Your unkempt hair requires direction, young man."

"Dear, let us not judge Amamiya-san's character based on appearance – give the boy a chance." Mrs. Takamaki insisted. She raised her hand and offered Ren a handshake. "Ren Amamiya, it's a pleasure to finally meet the boy whose caught our daughter's attention."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki." Ren replied. Most of the time he was able to keep his cool behavior, but with the pressure on desiring to make a good first impression, Ren's heart had been pounding heavily at the start of their conversation.

"So.. Amamiya-san.. Tell us all about yourself. We'd like to shed some light on how our sweet crepe happened to fall for someone of such.. for lack of a better term – man of mediocrity." Mr. Takamaki began, intrigued on listening to Ren's backstory.

Ann simply rolled her eyes at her father's conceited behaviour "Please Dad.. Just give Ren a chance."

"Certainly, Takamaki-san." Ren began to explain about his life in Kyoto – bringing up his family, current education, hobbies with music, love for coffee-brewing and how he and Ann first met. He eventually arrived to the point of explaining his false accusation regarding Masoyoshi Shido. As he went into further details about his time in Tokyo and his growing relationship with Ann – Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki couldn't help but linger on the fact that Ren used to have a criminal record.

"So… You were falsely accused of assaulting a well-known politician? I believe I heard about that news when we were abroad at work, right dear?" Mrs. Takamaki asked, turning towards her husband.

"Well.. I wouldn't be surprised. The young man  _does_ have the looks of a juvenile." Mr. Takamaki commented.

"Dad! Why would you say that? Ren is the  _exact_  opposite of being a criminal!" Ann defended her boyfriend – offended by her father's comments. "He's so much more than the man that you see right now."

"Is he? Then let me ask you this, Amamiya-san.. Do you have any further goals in life  _other_ than dating our daughter? What career do you plan on pursuing?" Mr. Takamaki asked.

"Uhm.. I.. haven't really thought about that.." Ren said with honesty. Flashbacks occurred to the many conversations he endured his parents back home about his life post-high school. Up to this point, Ren  _still_ had no idea on what he wanted to pursue. With no clear direction in his life that he was passionate about – was he any different than a criminal who had no  _real_  drive in their own lives?

"Dad, don't pressure him. Ren is taking his time to figure things out. But what matters most is that he's been a kind and gentle soul to me. Shouldn't that matter the most right now?" Ann tried to explain.

"Ann.. look around us. We are in a room full of models and workers who've had a  _passion_ in their craft. I hear the many criticisms that a fashion designer is very superfluous – but it's a representation of  _culture_ that we've all worked  _hard_ to create. _"_ Mr. Takamaki began to rant. "This young man you brought to us – from what he's told me, does not have much drive in his own life. All I see of him is an  _accessory_  to you, Ann."

Ren was taken aback by Mr. Takamaki's comments. Was it true? With Ann slowly crafting her way through the entertainment industry through modelling, acting, singing and dancing – Ren was simply going along on the ride with her when he hadn't taken the time to focus on his own character. All he'd ever done was support Ann by her side and giving her sweet talk whenever she felt down. Nothing was exactly  _wrong_  with this – but at the same time, Ren thought hypothetically, if he wasn't in a relationship with Ann, then what was his own identity then?

"Dear, you must give credit to Amamiya-san. He has been such a sweetheart to our daughter – and has been doing well with his schooling too. Ren has even showcased his talents from the music festival they participated in last year. What more do you request from him?" Mrs. Takamaki asked.

"I want a man for my daughter who identifies himself through his work than his sole attachment to someone else." Mr. Takamaki stated.

"Uggh… I can't handle this nonsense anymore – come on, Ren!" Ann grabbed her boyfriend by the arm and dragged them both away from her parents. It was apparent her father had expressed his dislike towards Ren for his lack of purpose. Taking a moment to cool down, Ann apologized to Ren. "I'm so sorry about that. I wasn't expecting my dad to be such a pain in the ass tonight."

"He's.. right though." Ren admitted, causing Ann to look at him in disbelief. "Ann.. let's be honest, what have I been doing this entire time after our Phantom Thieving days? I  _love_ the relationship we have together, truly. But other than that, what can I define myself as, other than Ann Takamaki's boyfriend? All I've been doing is making coffee in my spare time while monotonously going to school every day. My life.. it becomes so stagnant when I don't have  _you_  in my life."

"Babe.. That's  _not_ true! You are  _so_ much more than that!" Ann attempted to help Ren see the good he's done in his own life. "Did you already forget the many people you've grown strong bonds with the entire year? The people you've helped? You're such a gentle and selfless soul, Ren!"

"That's just it, Ann… I've been solely basing my personality from their problems. While in truth, I've neglected the time to build my own character." Ren spoke in defeat. Feeling ashamed of himself, Ren decided he needed time for himself. "Sorry Ann.. I just need a minute to think about a couple things."

"...Okay." Ann accepted Ren's decision, watching as her boyfriend walked elsewhere around the ballroom to reflect. Ann took the nearest open seat to her and sulked. A night she looked forward to spending time with Ren was quickly taken away from her father's ridiculing comments of her boyfriend. She hoped her parents were able to overlook Ren's past – but they were unable to be open-minded and held onto the fact of Ren's criminal record and lack of focus.

 _Is it true though… Ren's been so kind to me and our relationship.. Does he really think he isn't worth much without me?_ Ann thought.

"That seemed like a shit show." Mika's voice suddenly chimed in. Ann looked up, finding Mika standing in front of her with a glass of punch in her hand. "Hmph, I overheard the whole thing with you and your parents when Tatsuya and I were getting a drink.."

"Now isn't the time, Mika." Ann looked away from him as she crossed her arms.

"Ann.. You need to be honest with yourself.. Your boyfriend isn't anything that your parents were hoping him to be." Mika tried to explain. "They're fashion designers – diligent in their craft. They expect you to date someone who's more flashy and all about themselves and boast about the success they made. Ren.. He's alright.. but he's too boring and laid-back – always thinking about helping others when he could utilize his time and talents to improve upon himself."

"But… That's what I fell in love with about him.." Ann reasoned. At this moment – it felt like no one was understanding her feelings for Ren. Not Ryuji, not her parents, not Mika – all of them expressed a sense of disapproval and expected more from Ann. But she didn't care what others thought. All she wanted was for them to understand her genuine happiness being with Ren and the unconditional love and attention he'd given to her.

Everyone always expected something from Ann – but Ren never expected anything from her in their relationship – all he wanted to give his was time and devotion to make her happy.

_**...** _

Meanwhile, Ren had taken refuge on the second floor of the ballroom, overlooking the entire venue as countless number of individuals walked around with their fancy clothes and drinks, chatting about their accomplishments and how much money they'd spent.

This entire night had been overwhelming Ren – beginning with the weight of his parent's pressuring him to pursue a career, to constantly missing Ann due to their long-distance relationship, and now recently – Ann's parents disapproving of his carefree lifestyle.

Ren did many hobbies on the side and excelled in his school work – but it was like every one was expecting  _more_ from his potential. But Ren was satisfied with the life he was living in now – especially with his current relationship with Ann. Why did they find the nerve to try and correct his lifestyle?

 _Am I being honest with myself? Am I really satisfied with my life right now? Or are these people trying to awaken the potential in me that I've been running away from?_ Ren thought.

"Ren.." a voice spoked from him. Caught by surprise, Ren turned around from the balcony and saw Ryuji face him. His friend simply stared at him with a monotonous look and gripped his hands into a fist.

"Ryuji..? Hey man, what's up." Ren asked, relieved to see his best friend. He received no reply as Ryuji slowly walked beside Ren and leaned forward on the balcony railing – overlooking everyone else on the lower floor. Ryuji's eyes eventually focused on Ann below, who was sitting by herself as she appeared to be stressed out.

"Bro.. I've been thinking a lot about us… Not just you and me, but the three of us.. including Ann." Ryuji began talking. He took a deep breath as he gathered up the courage to confess to his friend. "Ren… I mean this as someone with good intentions.. But I think Ann would be better off  _without_  you."

"..What?" Ren was left speechless, unable to comprehend Ryuji's words. Where in the world was this suddenly coming from? Why was his best friend  _now_  showing disapproval of their relationship? Throughout these past few months, Ryuji always seemed not to mind Ren and Ann's relationship. But  _now_  he thought it best to express his disagreement? "Ryuji.. Please help me understand.. Why are you saying this now?"

"Ren.. I haven't been honest with myself lately.. As well as being honest with you. This whole time I've always seen Ann as someone close to me, and I mistook it as us being  _just_  friends – but recently, I've been seeing her in a different light." Ryuji explained. He grabbed onto the railing with both hands as he gripped it tightly. "I realized that this whole time we've known each other since middle school – Ann and I had this underlying bond that kept us connected together, even when we'd momentarily separated until high school again when we both met you."

"Ryuji..." Ren wondered where Ryuji was leading to and listened intently to his friend's explanation.

"Damn Ren.. Do you know what she told me the last time we hung out? That there was a possibility that  _we_ could have been together! But  _so_  many factors got in that way – with my stubbornness on physical appearance, her issue with Kamoshida's abuse, and now –  _you_  getting in the way of our bond!" Ryuji suddenly whipped his hand through the air in frustration as he began grabbing the attention of spectators around them.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Ryuji… But if you are truly honest with yourself, you know that can't happen.. You and Ann can't be a thing.." Ren calmly explained, noticing that every one on the balcony floor was staring at them. "Please, Ryuji.. Let's just talk it out. If you need to vent, I'm here to listen to you, brother."

"Damn you, Ren! Don't give me that sympathetic bullshit! Do you know how  _long_  I've been confused about my feelings with Ann? Now that I'm finally being honest with myself – you've already taken away that chance from me!" Ryuji shouted, now getting the attention from the onlookers on the opposite end of the ballroom. A hidden burst of anger and jealousy suddenly began to take over Ryuji's heart as he stepped closer to his friend.

"Ryuji – everyone is looking. Please.. calm down." Ren attempted to reason with him. He had both hands gently raised up towards Ryuji, who slowly approached Ren as he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Did you even  _consider_  how everyone else felt about you two dating? The entire time we were Phantom Thieves, you and Ann were playing around behind our backs! None of us may have said anything, but I can admit that we  _all_ felt betrayed that you guys decided to keep this a secret while we had to figure things out on our own!" Ryuji lashed out.

Suddenly, Ryuji grabbed Ren by the collar of his neck and pushed him against the balcony. Everyone around them gasped as their confrontation slowly became physical.

"Please.. Ryuji – you don't want to do this!" Ren attempted to talk his way out of the situation, but Ryuji ended up leaning Ren slightly backwards over the balcony railing as his frustration continued escalating. Ren felt the tight of Ryuji's hand around his neck slowly tighten.

"Did you even consider Haru's feelings, Ren? She was devastated that you were dancing with Ann back in May when we helped out at her coffee shop! And what about Morgana? You decided to date his one and only love – did you even ask him how he felt about you two going out behind his back?" Ryuji shouted, continuing to tighten his grip on Ren.

"What the hell, Ryuji?" Morgana had heard his name and eventually noticed the altercation between Ren and Ryuji happening on the balcony above. Futaba and Kasumi were both in shock as they watched along with the spectators around them.

"Futaba – what's going on?" Ann joined them. She looked up and almost had a heart attack at the scene. "Is that.. Ren and Ryuji? What the hell is going on!?"

"I don't know.. but the last thing I heard was that Ryuji yelled about his feelings about you towards Ren." Futaba explained. She turned to Ann with a concerned look. "Ann.. What's going on between the three of you? Why are Ren and Ryuji suddenly fighting over you?"

Ann wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she could only assume this sudden outburst was influenced by her last argument with Ryuji a couple days ago. This pent-up jealousy that Ryuji had been hiding was now out in the open and causing this fight between him and Ren. Ann rushed over below them and shouted at the two. "Ren! Ryuji! Please! You need to stop fighting! You guys are best friends!"

"Back when it was just us three last year at Shujin – we had something good going on, Ren! We were friends who could relate to each other without any worries! But you guys just  _had_  to complicate things by dating each other!" Ryuji let out in frustration. "Damn it.. You were the  _only_  one I really trusted.. And now you decided to take away one of the true desires of my heart!"

"Please.. Ryuji.. This isn't... like you at all." Ren gasped out as he felt his airway tightening in Ryuji's grasp.

"Ryuji.. Let him go." a voice calmly spoke from behind. Ryuji turned back and noticed Tatsuya standing at a distance from the pair. Tatsuya slowly approached Ryuji and calmly spoke to him. "Ryuji.. You don't want to do this.. Ren is your friend.. He never meant to hurt you.."

"Gaggh.. Ryuji.. W-What's gotten into you...?" Ren attempted to talk, but realized that Ryuji's grip over his neck was beginning to tighten and began to choke him. Ren tried to use his other hand to break free, but Ryuji used his free hand to keep him at bay. "Please… You're hurting… me.."

"RYUJI! LET HIM GO!" Ann yelled as she began to panick as she heard Ren coughing from Ryuji's grip.

"Damn you, Ren! Just  _damn_  you for not being honest with me!" Ryuji shrieked in pure anger.

Ren's vision began to blur from the lack of oxygen reaching his brain due to Ryuji's prolonged grip.

Suddenly, Ren thought he was beginning to imagine things when Ryuji's eyes flashed yellow for a moment while his voice began to emit distortions as he began calling down to Ann below.

" _Ann.. This is also your fault.. See how you cope with the same pain I've felt when I throw your boyfriend over the balcony."_  Ryuji's distorted voice emitted.

 _Huh.. W-What was that just now?_ Ren thought.

Below, Morgana had also noticed the same thing. "What the hell - this isn't Ryuji at all! It's like a totally different spirit has taken control of his mind!"

"That's enough! Let him go, Ryuji!" Tatsuya suddenly intervened, grabbing Ryuji from the back as he pried him off Ren. Ryuji began to scuffle against Tatsuya, while Ren slid down onto the floor and took a moment to cough as he began to catch his breath. Ren simply sat against the balcony railing as he watched Ryuji and Tatsuya fight.

"Get off me! This is none of your business, asshole!" Ryuji shouted, swinging a punch towards Tatsuya, who managed to dodge the attack.

"You need to accept the fact that you  _can't_ have Ann!" Tatsuya argued back, continually dodging Ryuji's swings. Seeing a window of opportunity, Tatsuya managed to tackle Ryuji as they tumbled backwards back against the railing as each of them grabbed onto the other.

"Ryuji… Ryuji! Stop!" Ren yelled. He watched as Ryuji managed to punch Tatsuya into his stomach, causing him to lose his breath. Taking the opportunity, Ryuji kicked at Tatsuya's feet and made him fall over to the ground and began to throw kicks constantly at hit side.

"RYUJI! STOP IT!" Ann demanded, tears began to well up in her eyes at the sight of violence her friend was showcasing.

"Damnit, Ryuji! You freakin' psychopath!" Morgana grumbled. He jumped from his seat and began to make his way to the upper balcony in an attempt to intervene.

"Ryuji! Control yourself!" Ren shouted, witnessing Ryuji take out his anger at Tatsuya, who continued lying on the ground as he took the beating. In retaliation, Ren slowly stood up and charged at Ryuji, grabbing him by the waist and slamming the both of them against the balcony railing once more.

 _"YOU DON'T DESERVE HER, REN!"_  Ryuji screamed with the same distortion exhibited in his voice while throwing his fist on Ren's back and injuring his friend. Ren quickly recovered and attempted to hold down Ryuji, gripping both of his friend's hands by the wrists as he now had Ryuji's back almost over the balcony railings in an attempt to incapacitate him. Ryuji squirmed as he continued yelling.  _"GET OFF ME YOU ASSHOLE!"_

Suddenly, Ryuji forcefully kicked Ren onto the chest, knocking him away. Ren tumbled onto the floor and could only watch helplessly as Ryuji's entire body flipped backwards over the balcony railing from the force of his kick.

"RYUJI!" Ann yelled in horror.

"NOOO!" Ren shouted. He immediately got up and leaned over the balcony as he reached his hand out below. He could only watch in shock as Ryuji tumbled through the air, landing on his side on top of a dining table with a loud thud. His sudden weight caused the table to collapse onto the ground as the legs gave way, causing both Ryuji's body and the various glasses and plates to fall onto the floor with an ear-splitting crash.

Ryuji laid there motionless - with various blood marks on his exposed skin and tearing in his clothes.

"OH MY GOODNESS! RYUJIIII!" Ann shrieked, running over to her fallen friend as she crouched down and turned his body over. She attempted to wake Ryuji up, but he remained unconscious in her arms. Ann looked up to every one around and cried out. "Please! Someone call an ambulance! He's not responding!"

"Oh no…." Kasumi gasped, holding her hands with Futaba as they both couldn't believe the sight in front of them. Futuba began to breathe heavily in anxiety.

"R-Ryuji..." Ren cried out weakly, remaining in his position as he leaned over the balcony railing with one hand hanging down, watching as Ann cried to their fallen friend while a crowd began to gather around the pair. He watched as Ann's parents joined her daughter, demanding to know what happened that disrupted their event. Noticing Ryuji's unconscious body, they immediately called for medical attention.

"You, Amamiya-san! What in the world just happened?" Mr. Takamaki yelled up to Ren.

"Ren… It.. wasn't your fault.." Tatsuya groaned in an attempt to assure Ren. He currently sat against the balcony as he recovered from the beating he endured by Ryuji. Tatsuya watched as Ren crouched behind the balcony as his entire body began to shake. "Dont.. blame yourself for this."

Maintaining his distance from the mess, Morgana was unable to fathom the entire incident. What exactly overcame Ryuji that caused him to lash out against Ren? Nothing seemed to add up correctly. Ryuji had never exhibited any sense of jealousy regarding Ren and Ann's relationship for the past few months. What suddenly made him spit out his honest feelings of frustration?

Morgana needed to get to the bottom of this.

Suddenly, he looked down upon the Spirit Amulet on his neck, wondering if this was connected to the Spirit Palace. This entire fight between Ren, Ann and Ryuji surely affected the Palace's structure and their overall bond.

_This whole fight with Ryuji.. I can sense that it wasn't really him.. His spirit is distraught.. What exactly happened?_

_._

_.._

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	19. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana and his Persona-team must hurry to save the life of a friend. Ren and Ann's relationship is haunted by a mistake of the past."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi fellow reader! Extensive author note ahead. Feel free to skip if you want to get right into the story!
> 
> So conversation of these last few chapters have been blowing up recently. I love Shuann - and I know others love the fluff that comes with it, but I do want to remind that I've always written this story in mind to involve heavy elements of both romance and drama. I wanted to offer new storylines that I hadn't seen in other Shuann fics I've read before. Some have raised eye brows on the current direction of the recent arc - but rest assured, it's the means of the journey in how Ren, Ann and Morgana overcome these odds.
> 
> Don't worry - there will be happier moments to come for this couple!
> 
> Not sure if I clarified in previous chapters - but I always imagined Tatsuya in this story to be around the same age as Ren and Ann. As stated in earlier chapters, this is more of a reimagining of the character instead of following the chronological version given in the canon. I'm bringing this up since people may have found the possible age difference weird between him and Ann - which I apologize if there were any confusion whatsoever.
> 
> Also, an update regarding schedules - with a change of season and many others going back to school - and for me personally, returning to more of my real-life work and beginning other projects, there may be bigger gaps of time between new chapters for this story. I'll still do my best to update every week around the weekends, but please understand if there is a slight delay on updates. The latest I can guarantee a new chapter being up would be an estimate of two weeks, unless stated otherwise.
> 
> Thanks again for reading this through! Hope y'all have a good day, as always!

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 19: BROKEN**

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Medical University Hospital  
Evening** _

* * *

The streets of Tokyo echoed with the sirens of an ambulance as it sped through the metropolis to the main medical center of downtown. Ryuji's body was carried on the stretcher as emergency responders efficiently transported his body to the upper levels. His body laid motionless as Ryuji remained unconscious from his fall back at the Wilton Hotel.

Tatsuya offered to drive Ren, Ann and their friends as they followed the ambulance, using the vehicle he currently rented to drive in Tokyo. The group hastily made their way to the floor where Ryuji was being transported to. In the meantime, Ann informed her parents that she would tend to her friend while they would clean up the mess and resume their fall fashion show back at the hotel.

"I apologize, but you will need to standby in the waiting room. The paramedics have detected that your friend is going into critical condition and have advised not to have anyone else distract them for the moment." the unit clerk explained to the group.

"WHAT - critical condition? W-We need to be there for our friend!" Ann demanded, her heart racing at the mention that Ryuji's injuries were worsening.

"Ann.. Please.. We need to let them do their job." Ren reasoned with her. He managed to calm Ann down as they sat in the waiting room, joining Futaba and Kasumi.

"Is… Ryuji going to be okay?" Futaba asked. Ren didn't answer, instead giving an uncertain look as he lowered his head to the floor.

"I'm sure that the medical team is doing everything they can to help your friend." Tatsuya comforted Futaba.

"What.. What happened exactly? Why were you guys fighting in the first place?" Kasumi asked, turning over to Ren.

"It.. It doesn't matter anymore.." Ren diverted the question. In truth, he didn't want to talk about his fight with Ryuji. He looked over to Ann, who appeared to have tears welling up in her eyes once more.

"Sorry.. I-I need some fresh air." Ann excused herself as she made her way to the elevators. Not wanting to leave Ann by herself, Ren chased after his girlfriend as he attempted to make amends to for the entire situation.

 _This whole thing is a mess.._ Morgana contemplated, sitting in the seat between Futaba and Kasumi as they awaited further updates from the medical staff. Morgana took a moment to reflect upon the lead-up to Ryuji's fall – remembering the escalation between him and Ren as they yelled about their issue in regards to Ann and how Ryuji thought that Ren took his chance away from having a relationship with her.

 _Ugghh... This is no time for some crappy love-triangle. Ren, Ann and Ryuji are friends - what's up with all this pointless drama? I swear, this is becoming some over-the-top soap opera on television or something._ Morgana further thought to himself.  _And_ _I already had to go through this stuff with Ann over Kasumi and Ren, why is it happening again?_

Morgana continued to think, reflecting on how out-of-character Ryuji seemed to act in his fight towards Ren.

 _Still, the way Ryuji reacted.. That was not his normal self.. I can sense it._ Morgana concluded. But what exactly made Ryuji want to be " _honest_ " about his feelings out of nowhere? Suddenly, Morgana sensed one of the stones of the Spirit Amulet flash momentarily, catching him by surprise.  _Hold up.. This whole situation we're going through.. Is it making me realize an attribute? But which one?_

" _ **Mona-chan.."**_ the familiar voice of Justine echoed into his mind. Surprised, Morgana looked around. It had been an entire month since Justine had contacted him. Morgana listened carefully to her instructions.  _ **"I am sensing a large fluctuation of Shadows appearing in the Spirit Palace.. Mona-chan.. Did anything happen to your friend's bond?"**_

" _ **It's complicated.."**_ Morgana communicated back, relieved to hear Justine's voice after such a long absence.  _ **"Do you need my help?"**_

" _ **Yes.. I will contact the other Spirit Guardians.."**_ Justine explained. _ **"I must be honest with you, Mona-chan.. I also sense the spirit of another entangled in this palace.. It may be connected to your current situation.."**_

" _ **I see.. I'll be on my way.."**_ Morgana nodded. What did Justine mean? Another spirit entangled in the Spirit Palace? Could she be talking about Ryuji? How did his spirit relate to the Spirit Palace? Whatever it was, Morgana understood that they needed to take care of the Shadows in the palace if they wanted to continue protecting Ren and Ann's bond there.

"Futaba.. I'll be right back, just need to sort out a couple things.." Morgana assured. Futaba simply nodded as she watched Morgana hop from his seat and made his way out of the waiting room.

"Morgana…?" Kasumi gave a confused look – watching as Morgana left. "Hmm.. I must be imagining things."

* * *

 **= The Spirit Palace =  
** **Entrance**

* * *

Using her Velvet room powers, Justine summoned the  _Spirit Guardians_. Morgana, Yukari Takeba, Ken Amada and Rise Kujikawa spawned outside of the palace stairways. In this case, Ken decided to bring Korumaru along with him – much to Morgana's displeasure as he wasn't a big fan of dogs.

"Korumaru! I'm  _so_ glad to see you!" Yukari happily petted Korumaru's head.

"Oooooooh! Who's a good boy? You are! You are!" Rise joined along, petting the back of Korumaru as the dog enjoyed the love and affection he was currently receiving.

"Hmph… As long as he keeps his distance away from me – we'll be good." Morgana stated, watching in disgust as Korumaru laid on the floor and barked, wagging his tail

"So.. What's the mission for today?" Ken asked. He looked over the Spirit Palace in front of them and immediately noticed a change in atmosphere. "Hey.. Were those thunderclouds looming over the palace the last time we were here?"

"No.. This is why I've recruited you for today's infiltration.." Justine began to explain. "Recently – something has happened in  _your_  reality that has influenced the cognition of this palace. A third-party has managed to influence the bond of the  **Trickster** and  **Lover.** Their actions, however, are not from their own will, but have been  _influenced_ _by_   _remnants of the previous Shadow Attributes we've defeated_

"Wait.. You mean – the reason why Ryuji suddenly lashed out against Ren was because the energy of previous Shadow Attributes we've battled have taken over his heart? But how!?" Morgana demanded to know.

"It specifically began from our battle with my sister's Shadow." Justine explained, suddenly lowering her head in dismay as she reminded herself of Caroline's death. She immediately shook away the thought and focused on the mission. "When we defeated the Shadow Attributes of  **Joy**  and  **Kindness** , remnants of its energy managed to escape before we fully locked it away. That energy managed to use a portion of Caroline's powers it sucked up to create its own form that can sustain itself and create an impact in  _your_ reality."

"I see.. If I recall, the combined Shadow Attributes of  **Depression**  and  **Hostility**  formed into a stronger form known as  **Jealousy**." Ken reminded them.

"Mona-chan.. What happened in your reality? It may shed some light on our current situation in regards to the palace?" Justine asked.

"Ryuji and Ren… they had a fight earlier about Ann. Ryuji ended up getting severely injured." Morgana began to explain, much to the shock of the rest of the Persona-users. "I don't know why.. But I've been sensing something wrong between the three for quite some time. But the main concept I'm realizing is that Ryuji is being  **deceived**  by his own feelings for Ann. He said that he always liked her as more of a friend.. But it just doesn't make sense.. I always thought Ryuji respected Ren and Ann's relationship."

"If I may offer my two-cents, it could be that Ryuji's  **Jealousy**  combined with the Shadow Attribute of  **Honesty**  that you are realizing right now Morgana – which right now, is representative to  **Deception**." Ken concluded.

"Which is why Ryuji's heart feels so confused right now. He believes he is being honest with his own feelings about Ann, but the  **Jealousy**  that transferred from Shadow Caroline has twisted his heart to amplify the attribute of  **Deception**." Yukari took a moment to clarify.

"So what I'm getting at is – we need to figure out how to open Ryuji's heart to being  **Honest**  and pure about his own heart? That way, we'll be able to rekindle the bond between not only himself, but with Ren and Ann?" Rise added.

"Exactly." Justine confirmed. She was surprisingly proud the Persona-users that Morgana recruited managed to figure out this complicated story themselves. "I'm beginning to sense that this hasn't been your first encounter with these types of powers."

"Well, if we  _have_ to be honest, this isn't our first rodeo, right guys?" Yukari smiled over to Ken and Rise as both of them nodded.

"Woof! Woof!" Korumaru suddenly barked in excitement, managing to scare Morgana as he suddenly jumped in fear.

"GAAH! Next time, warn me before you start barking like a maniac, you furry freak!" Morgana yelled at Korumaru, who simply sat there and panted with his tongue sticking out.

"I must provide one more further detail – these Shadow Attributes that have taken a toll on your friend's heart – is also slowly draining away the life energy from him." Justine added. "If we do not lock away the Shadow Attribute of  **Deception** soon, then your friend… Will not make it through his current injuries."

The news shocked the group. Morgana remembered Ryuji's status reverting to critical condition back at the hospital in their world. Did this shadow energy really take a number on Ryuji's heart? Regardless, they couldn't take the chance. They needed to lock away the attribute before Ryuji succumbed to his injuries. Morgana slowly approached the steps of the palace entrance and motioned the others to follow.

"Alright,  _Spirit Guardians_! Let's recover the heart of Ryuji and save his bond with Ren and Ann!" Morgana commanded.

The group made their way into the Spirit Palace, fighting their way through a horde of Shadows that ended up spawning through the corridors. Rise used her Persona's navigation powers to locate the main Shadow Attribute energy – which was originating in the palace courtyard. Reaching the area, the group realized that it began raining tremendously hard as lightning flashed in the skies above.

"This Shadow Attribute's energy.. It's getting stronger!" Rise warned the others. The group eventually noticed a lone figure standing within the storming courtyard.

"R-Ryuji?" Morgana voiced in surprise. It took him a while to realize how sensible the Shadow Attribute took shape of Ryuji, considering that he was the main target of the Shadow Attribute of  **Deception**. Morgana nodded to the others as they made their way towards the Shadow. "Keep your guard down. We'll need to defeat the Shadow and allow the Spirit Attribute of  **Honesty**  to overcome its dark powers.

"But.. Morgana.. Have you realized what honesty is yet? All you know is that this  _honesty_  that Ryuji exhibited has caused a rift between his relationship with Ren and Ann – which is now affecting their bond as well." Yukari expressed concern.

"It can't be helped.. If we don't do anything right now, then Ryuji's life force will surely disappear and he'll die." Morgana reminded her. He motioned the group to follow him as they approached Shadow Ryuji in the centre of the courtyard as rain continued to fall upon them.

" _What the hell do you punks want?"_ Shadow Ryuji antagonized. He appeared in his Skull uniform used in the Metaverse as he wielded his bat over his shoulder. " _You dare get in the way of Ann Takamaki? I knew her before that damned Ren Amamiya got in the way! She was rightfully mine from the very beginning!"_

"Ughh… This is the definition of entitlement." Yukari rolled her eyes. She began to argue against Shadow Ryuji. "Listen.. I know right now you feel betrayed and hold so much hatred against your friend, but do you honestly believe you feel this way?"

"This same attribute of  **Jealousy**  that had taken over Caroline has appeared to become stronger overtime." Justine sensed, forewarning the group. "Be on your toes – Shadow Ryuji is currently holding lots of energy back. Remain cautious."

"Ryuji! Please reconsider your feelings." Morgana began to reason with him. "Listen.. I know how you've felt towards Ren and Ann's relationship. If I'm being honest, you and I are very much alike – regardless of our differences. My heart was devastated to learn that I could never be with Ann, but overtime, I realized I could never hate on her or Ren. My bond with them was more important to me than losing them over fickle feelings."

" _Shuddup! Ann didn't choose you because you're a freakin' cat!"_ Shadow Ryuji argued back.  _"Unlike you, I still have a chance! I've been lying to myself this whole time about my feelings for her. So now, I'm going to do everything I can to tear up her current relationship with Ren and make her rightfully mine!"_

"I don't believe that! You, Ren and Ann have been through  _so_ much as not only the Phantom Thieves, but friends in general! The real Ryuji I know wouldn't  _dare_ to throw away his strong bond with Ren!" Morgana retaliated. "You're just a cheap copy of him thwarting his desires for your own benefit! And now – we're gonna kick the ever living crap out of you and save our friend!"

" _Hahahahah! I'd like to see you try!"_ Shadow Ryuji summoned his Persona – a Shadow version of Captain Kidd. Lightning began to crash within the skies above and forcefully pounding onto the ground as the rain began to fall down harder into the courtyard.

"Morgana! Yukari! Be careful! Your Personas are specifically weak to electricity, but if you can land your hits correctly, your Wind attacks can do major damage!. Keep your distance and you'll be fine!" Rise warned as she scanned Shadow Ryuji's statistics. "Ken – you're immune to his electric attacks, but you won't be able to do much damage with your own type either, so you'll have to find another way around it.

"No worries! My buddy Korumaru can get the job done!" Ken pointed his spear towards Shadow Ryuji to direct Korumaru's attacks.

"Woof! Woof!" Korumaru summoned his fiery Persona –  **Cerberus.** Using his Persona's abilities, Korumaru fired a heavy fire attack of  _Agidyne._ The fire attack landed, yet it immediately disappeared on contact – appearing to do little to no damage against Shadow Ryuji.

"Huh? Why didn't that work? It was a direct hit!" Ken yelped in confusion.

"It's the environment! The heavy rain around us is inhibiting the fire abilities Korumaru has!" Rise clarified.

"I'll handle the rain – the rest of you, don't hold back against the Shadow!" Justine commanded. She immediately summoned her Persona and began to use its abilities to create a forcefield above the courtyard, preventing the rain from pouring down onto them. The thunderstorms continued rolling in as they flashed above the sky.

"Sweet! Now its time to flip things into our favor!" Ken summoned his Persona and used its  _Elec Break_ ability to remove Shadow Ryuji's resistance against electricity moves. Ken immediately followed up with powerful bolt of  _Ziodyne_ , dealing effective damage to Shadow Ryuji.

" _Damn you! I'll show you what shocking powers I've got!"_ Shadow Ryuji directed Captain Kidd to fire a heavy electric attack of  _Maziodyne,_ firing bolts of electricity all around. Morgana managed to dodge the attack, but Yukari was hit directly - dealing immense damage to her.

"Grhhh… Can't move.." Yukari groaned as she laid helpless on the ground, incapacitated by the paralyzing effect. Shadow Ryuji took the opportunity to throw a severe physical attack of  _Megaton Raid_ to finish off Yukari.

"Noooo!" Ken shouted, jumping in front of Yukari as the  _Megaton Raid_ connected to him instead, dealing major damage and causing Ken to fly backwards into a pile of shrubbery within the courtyard garden.

"Morgana! Keep Shadow Ryuji at bay! I'll help Ken and Yukari recover." Rise advised.

"Seems like it's just you and me, Korumaru!" Morgana nodded over to the dog – managing to set aside his differences and work together.

"Woof! Woof!" Korumaru barked, summoning his Persona once more to deal heavy damage of  _Agidyne_. The attack landed and caused a burn effect on Shadow Ryuji as his body took damage from the fiery after-effect.

"Awesome hit, Korumaru! Now it's time to finish this!" Morgana summoned his Persona and powered-up his Wind abilities with  _Wind Amp._ Taking a moment to charge up his Persona's powers, Morgana threw a tornado of  _Garudyne_ wind, engulfing Shadow Ryuji and his Persona as they took major damage due to their type weakness - as well as additional technical damage from the burn ailment caused by Korumaru.

"GAAAAAAHH!" Shadow Ryuji screamed as he suffered through the tornado monstrosity. The strong winds caused the grass and shrubbery around the courtyard to fly around in chaos.

"Heheh! Time to deal the finishing blow!" Yukari exclaimed, recovering from the paralyzing ailment she had taken. Taking our her bow and arrow, she summoned her Persona's ability to engulf her arrow in an aura of wind. Aiming directly at the centre of the tornado where Shadow Ryuji's silhouette was, Yukari fired her bow and arrow, creating a blunt force of wind to pierce through the tornado.

 _"NOOOOOOO!"_  Shadow Ryuji shrieked in pain, falling backwards as the powerful  _Garudyne Arrow_ shot sliced through his body. The tornado around him disappeared in a snap when the attack connected. Shadow Ryuji groaned as he fell back, whilst Captain Kidd fell a few feet away from him in defeat.

"It's over.. Now release our friend from his torment!" Morgana demanded as the rest of the group followed him and surrounded the fallen Shadow Ryuji. "You've done enough damage towards Ryuji's bond with Ren and Ann. Leave him be and let him recover from his injuries! Give him time to be truly honest with his feelings and understand that he can deal with these emotions another way that won't hurt others!"

 _"I.. will let him go.."_  Shadow Ryuji uttered in defeat. He used the last bit of energy to kneel in front of the group as he began to reconsider his desires, which now reflected upon the Ryuji in the real world.  _"I.. just couldn't come to terms with this new dynamic between my friends.. My history with Ann.. the recent bond I've forged with Ren.. My sudden jealousy has deceived my honest feelings for my best friends.. And now I've ruined everything between us."_

"You're not alone." Morgana went up to the kneeling Shadow Ryuji and put a hand on theirs, attempting to comfort him. "There were so many times I've felt lost with my feelings.. I thought I  _hated_ Ren for a small moment in time. But seeing Ann happy with him, knowing she has one of  _the_ best guys to have as her boyfriend. She's in good hands. And we need to support them through the troubles they'll face as a team."

 _"I… understand now.."_  Shadow Ryuji felt a resolve overcoming his heart.  _ **Joy, Kindness, Loyalty**_  – aspects that Morgana learned over time were now transferring to Ryuji's heart as the Shadow Attributes of  _ **Hostility, Depression**_ _,_ and  _ **Unfaithfulness**_ began to disappear. Eventually, Shadow Ryuji began to glow with an illuminating golden aura as they disappeared into the sky in a sparkle of light – symbolizing the peace he now accepted into his heart.

"You did good, Mona-chan." Yukari patted on Morgana's shoulder, proud of how he grew throughout their adventures in both the real world and the Spirit Palace.

" _ **No...NO! I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS!"**_ a menacing voice suddenly growled. The group looked around in confusion and realized that Shadow Ryuj's Persona – Captain Kidd, still floated above them.  _ **"This is unacceptable! I will not give up easily! The Spirit Attribute of Honesty will still be locked away!"**_

"His Persona? It's still alive?" Ken spoke in confusion.

"The Shadow Attributes we've been locking away – it appears that the remnants that managed to escape their prisons within the palace have begun to from it's own form and can now sustain itself." Justine began to explain. "Mona-chan! We must defeat its form if you choose to fully unlock the power of the Spirit Attribute of  **Honesty**!"

" _ **You rowdy group of Persona-users.. Dare to get in my way of destroying this bond that has taken over this palace of mine!"**_ Captain Kidd spoke in anger. He began to laugh maniacally as he floated higher into the sky.  _ **"This Trickster and Lover I've been observing for the past months – just as you have been powering up your tiny little trinket, I have been utilizing the Shadow Attributes to create a new form overtime! Eventually – my purpose of destroying their bond will soon come to fruition!"**_

In an explosion of dark shadow energy, Captain Kidd disappeared.

"Huh.. Wait, what just happened?" Rise panicked. She used her Persona's power to track down Captain Kidd – to no avail. "Its like.. the Persona left the Spirit Palace! I can't sense any of its energy around here."

"No need to worry, it must have disappeared into its own realm for the time being." Justine assured the others. She began to pace back and forth as she went into a deep train of thought.

"Justine.. What's going on? Did we… just create an enemy?" Morgana asked, concerned of what Captain Kidd had said before disappearing. Justine took a moment to explain their current situation.

"I should have seen this coming.. This new Shadow we've created – has become  _sentient_." Justine began to illustrate. "My conclusion is.. Ever since we began coming to the Spirit Palace to acquire the Spirit Attributes to power up Mona-chan's Spirit Amulet – the Shadow Attributes energy we've locked away have been combining together overtime to create this form. And since these attributes are closely connected to the bond of the  **Trickster** and  **Lover,** it's become invested in their relationship – just as Mona-chan has."

"So – just to make sure we're understanding what's happening – Morgana has been collecting the Spirit Attributes and gaining a positive insight onto Ren and Ann's bond – while within the Spirit Palace, this newly-formed Shadow has been collecting the energy of the Shadow Attributes we've defeated and views this bond as a negative perception?" Ken asked.

"Yes.. the two sides have a differing point of view regarding the bond between the  **Trickster** and  **Lover –** Morgana, seeing the  _positive_  attributes of their relationship, has learned to become their guardian and  _protect_ their bond. While this new Shadow has been stimulated by the opposite,  _negative_  attributes and desires to  _destroy_  their bond." Justine confirmed.

"I see.. This whole time we've been creating an enemy under our noses." Morgana felt guilty in their mission. From the beginning, his goal was to power-up the Spirit Amulet and utilize its powers to become human – but at what cost? The more they advanced in their assignment, the higher the stakes became. "Justine.. Are we doing the right thing in continuing this mission?"

"Mona-chan.. I request you do not doubt our intentions.. We need to remember what we've lost.. I mean, what I've lost." Justine reminded them of Caroline's death. "If we do not continue our mission to power up the Spirit Amulet, then we cannot revive my fallen sister – and eventually, the Shadow will be able to sustain itself fully and attack your friend's bond further. We need to complete this mission, no matter what dangers lie ahead of us!"

"Justine is right.. We've come so far.. We need to complete this journey we've started." Rise agreed.

"Right.. I'm down to obtaining the remaining attributes. What about you, Korumaru?" Ken asked. He received an enthusiastic response from his partner.

"But Morgana wasn't able to absorb the Spirit Attribute of  **Honesty**. The Shadow took away its potential when it escaped." Yukari reminded them. They were able to help Ryuji's cognition find peace in his heart, which meant that he could begin a full recovery in the real world. But the Shadow had taken away both attributes before Morgana could act upon them.

"I can only sense another trial of  _honesty_  to come in the real world," Justine warned. She turned over to Morgana. "There is still more you must overcome to obtain the attribute - Keep an eye out on the  **Trickster** and  **Lover**. With the Shadow enemy we've made still on the loose, it may use its power to  _influence_  their bond any way it can, whether  _directly_  through this Spirit Palace – or influencing those in  _your_ reality."

"I understand." Morgana nodded. This journey for them was beginning to present its obstacles. A simple task of obtaining these attributes became more of a war against the negative aspects that threatened Ren and Ann's bond. But Morgana believed they would succeed in their mission – with the power of the team of Persona-users by his side, as well as his strong desire to protect Ren and Ann's bond – Morgana vowed that until his death, he would make sure his friend's bond remained strong.

_Ren and Ann... I would do anything to protect their love for one another... I need to protect them at all costs._

* * *

_**\- SEPTEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Medical University Hospital  
Evening** _

* * *

Morgana returned to reality and joined the rest of his friends back at the hospital. After waiting an hour, the unit clerk assured that Ryuji's condition began to stabilize. Still unconscious, Ryuji's vitals were beginning to recover from his fall. Ren and Ann ensured to contact Ryuji's mother. When she hastily arrived at the waiting room, Ren and Tatsuya immediately apologized for their actions that led to her son's condition.

"I'm sorry, Sakamoto-san.. We never intended for this to happen." Ren apologized, as he and Tatsuya both bowed to her.

"Amamiya-san.. I couldn't care less to what argument you two had that led to this situation.. I simply ask that you pray for my son's recovery." Mrs. Sakamoto stated. "Although – I request that you leave for the time being.. I'm unsure if I want to see you here after what you did to be a part of my son's current condition."

Ren felt a twinge of pain in his heart after hearing Mrs. Sakamoto's words. Although – he appreciated her honesty as it was understandable she'd feel conflicted towards Ren since he was still part of the reason Ryuji was injured.

"Come on.. Let's head back to the hotel and clear our heads." Tatsuya recommended. "I still need to pick-up Mika from there."

"Alright." Ren nodded. He turned over to Ann, who remained mournful throughout the entire situation. She went ahead of him as Futaba and Kasumi accompanied her.

Eventually the group made their way to Tatsuya's vehicle and endured a silent commute back to Wilton Hotel. Arriving at the outside entrance, they noted that most of the fashion show attendees were leaving the hotel as they conversed about the show and the events that had transpired – including the brawl between Ren, Ryuji and Tatsuya.

"Well.. Looks like the show is already over." Futaba commented. She and Kasumi headed out of the car as she began to dial Sojiro's number to pick them up.

"Thanks again for the ride, Tatsuya." Ren spoke his appreciation. Tatsuya simply nodded back. For only knowing each other for a short amount of time, Ren felt a strong bond already building with Tatsuya. He sensed the same resolve in ensuring the protection of Ann. Although, Ren regretted getting Tatsuya involved in this entire mess between him and Ryuji.

"Like I said before – you need to keep Ann safe. Remain loyal to her. She's worth keeping." Tatsuya patted on Ren's shoulder as he offered his word of encouragement. He turned over to Ann as she stood beside Ren while still taking in the entire night's events. "Ann.. I'm sorry we made such a mess to your parent's show."

"We'll manage.. I appreciate that you came with us though.. Will you be okay?" Ann asked, still concerned of the beating Ryuji had thrown at him. Tatsuya gave them a reassuring smile, stating that he took much more savage beatings in the past and that he would easily recover from his own injuries. Ann smiled. "That's good to hear, Tatsuya-san. Again, thanks for your support throughout the night. You stood up for my boyfriend.. That makes you honourable in my book."

The trio began to feel at peace with their situation. The night hadn't turned out exactly as planned – especially with Ryuji still recovering at the hospital. But knowing that he was going to be alright lifted the burden from their shoulders. Although, Ren and Ann sensed that it would be awhile before their bonds with him would be fixed.

 _Everything will be fine.. I'll make sure of it.._ Morgana pondered as he continued resting in Ann's purse. He sensed the guilt and hurt that still lingered within Ren and Ann's hearts, but Morgana vowed to help them recover from their fallback and fix their relationship with Ryuji once he fully recovered.  _It's my duty to keep their bond intact.. Through time, we can move on from this.. I believe it._

"There you are! What the  _hell_ were you thinking of just abandoning me the  _entire_ night!" Mika's voice erupted into their moment. She stomped over to Tatsuya and slapped on the side of his arm, much to the boy's surprise as he flinched in pain while still recovering from the altercation earlier with Ryuji.

"Mika! What the  _hell_? He's  _just_ recovering from their fight earlier! You can't physically abuse Tatsuya like that!" Ann angrily protested against Mika.

"Did you  _seriously_ leave me  _again_ just for Takamaki-san? I'm the one you brought to this damn fashion show! You just always seem to find an excuse to hang out with her!" Mika began to go off on Tatsuya. "For crying out loud! Her boyfriend is with her! Are you  _seriously_ still pining over her ass?"

"Mika, no I am not. Please stop.." Tatsuya pleaded.

"What's she talking about?" Ren suddenly asked in curiosity. Both Ann and Tatsuya's hearts began to pound at the escalating situation, realizing where Mika was leading to.

"Hmph! Obviously she hasn't told you! Damn girlfriend she is – not being  _honest_  with you this entire time." Mika began to raise her voice.

"Mika, just quit it! That was  _literally_ months ago and you're  _still_ holding this against me!?" Ann started to feed onto Mika's negative energy. At the same time, she began to panic – attempting to think of ways to shut up Mika.

"Come on, Mika.. Let me just drop you off at home.. It's been a long night for all of us.." Tatsuya suggested, gently leading Mika away from the group.

"Get your  _dirty_ hands off me, Tatsuya!" Mika tore herself away from him as her fists began to shake controllably while her hostility began to re-emerge. "Don't think you can act all innocent! You're  _just_ as guilty as Takamaki-san!"

"What is she talking about!?" Ren began to ask, shifting his gaze between Tatsuya and Ann. Both hesitated for a moment. Ren began to demand an explanation. "Tell me.. Please, just be honest with me, someone!"

"Ren." Tatsuya started speaking, only to be cut off by Ann.

"No.. Let me tell him.." Ann insisted. Tatsuya nodded and slowly backed away. Ann took a deep breath, realizing that it would be best if she were to admit to Ren what had happened between her and Tatsuya around the end of July.

"Ann… What's going on?" Ren asked, feeling his heart sink as he sensed an awful revelation to come.

"Remember the time when I stayed at your house in Kyoto during filming for the Feathermen movie?" Ann began, taking her time to maintain her composure. She took another deep breath as she began to confess to Ren. "I'd… been feeling the weight of your parent's judgement as they kept comparing me to our other friends. I felt like I wasn't good enough for them – and I guess that made me feel empty during that time."

"I know.. I remember that.. It's why you decided to have dinner outside for the remainder of your filming." Ren recalled. "Wait – what exactly were you doing by yourself?"

"Honestly, Ren – I was by myself for most of those days reflecting upon my relationship with you. It was hard to focus on my acting, but I managed. But I guess one of those days I was  _really_  feeling the burden of your parent's words on my shoulders." Ann remained calm as she slowly glanced over to Tatsuya – who had guilt begin to overcome his expression. "So I accepted a small invite with Tatsuya to go out to eat and talk for awhile – just to relieve my mind for a bit."

"...What happened then?" Ren simply asked.

"Nothing much, really. We ate sushi and went out to the park for a quiet walk. But then, things escalated." Ann started to feel her heart rate go up as she began to hold back tears, reflecting upon the events that night. "I was weak… I felt alone… Tatsuya tried to comfort me.. But we both read the other's intention wrong.. In that moment… we ended up  _kissing."_

"W-What.. No.. I don't believe you.." Ren stuttered, unable to comprehend the revelation.

"Hmph! I've got the pictures to prove it!" Mika interrupted, holding her phone out to Ren as she already had the pictures of Ann and Tatsuya kissing on the bench pulled up on her screen. Ren snatched the phone from Mika's hand and looked at the pictures – confirming this horrible truth.

 _Damn it, Mika! You just want to add salt to this closed wound, do you?_ Morgana growled underneath his breath as he listened to the entire confrontation within Ann's purse.  _I can't believe she's seriously adding more unnecessary drama into the mix._

"Please Ren.. Don't blame Ann.. It was entirely my fault for taking advantage of the situation." Tatsuya began to explain, understanding that he needed to take responsibility on his part. "I..  _did_  have feelings for Ann before, but when she put her foot down and proclaimed her relationship with you, I immediately backed down and stopped. We managed to talk it out and come to a conclusion to move on from that incident."

"I… trusted you, Tatsuya." Ren suddenly breathed out in disappointment. A whole new range of emotions began to fill his head as this confession twisted his heart. He had just came to peace with the brawl with Ryuji a couple hours ago – and now he had to hear this terrible news? "H-How do I know you both didn't do anything more before this kiss? What kind of lies are you hiding from me?"

"Amamiya-san! That was  _all_  that happened! Nothing more occurred between us, I promise!" Tatsuya attempted to confirm with Ren. He took a moment to calm himself down and relax, not wanting to add fire to this flame of anger. "Ren.. If you want to shout at me – hit me – kick me down – I  _completely_ understand.. This is no innocent sin for me. I deserve any punishment you desire to throw at me for disrespecting your relationship with Takamaki-san."

Ren didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to direct this building pain in his heart. An all-out attack of emotions flooded his mind – sadness at the thought that his trust was broken, hostility over the actions against Tatsuya and Ann - pain from the deceit that they had continued for the past months.

"Ren… Please.. Talk to me.." Ann pleaded, unable to take the silence from her boyfriend.

"Why Ann… Why weren't you just honest with me from the very beginning?" Ren began to express in pain. He felt his composure starting to crumble once the weight of the news hit him. "..Did you not respect me enough to confess this truth to me? Instead, you decided to hide this the  _entire_  time and pretend that everything was alright!"

"Babe.. I'm sorry.. But I didn't know what else to do! I didn't know how to handle the constant judgement your parents kept giving me! I just..I just wished that you were honest with them from the very beginning of our relationship!" Ann confessed, tears beginning to well up as she began to sob.

Usually, Ren would take the time to comfort Ann as she cried.

But not tonight.

"Ann.. You  _know_ why I can't tell my parents about us yet! They  _still_ wouldn't accept me being in a relationship!" Ren began to defend himself. "They're already expecting  _so_ much out of me right now – especially with figuring out a career that will please them. You  _don't_ understand the pressure I'm going through right now!"

"Pressure? All these months, I've been feeling the pressure as well, Ren!" Ann argued back, feeling hurt that Ren didn't fully understand her point of view in regards to having to hide their relationship from his parents. "I managed to confess to  _my_ parents about our relationship, and they were able to give us a chance tonight! Why can't  _you_ put in the effort to fight for us too? All you do is give me false assurance that you'll tell your parents – yet, it's already been  _six frickin'_   _months_ , Ren!"

Ren was at a loss. He didn't know how to respond to Ann's argument. This wasn't what he had expected. Ren was tired, broken, betrayed and beaten, all in the span of one night. Ryuji had betrayed their friendship. Tatsuya broke the trust that they began forging.

And last but not least – Ann, his beloved girlfriend, the one person he felt truly comfortable in sharing his love with - tore it away in one heartbreaking confession.

All this drama was taking a toll to Ren's sanity.

"Ann Takamaki.. I'm sorry to say this.. but I think its best we separate." Ren breathed heavily as he lowered his head.

The group were completely shocked at Ren's statement.

"Wha- N-No! Please! Let's talk this out, babe! I.. I don't want to lose you!" Ann began to plead, tears now beginning to run down her face as she watched Ren walk away by his lonesome. Denying to accept his decision, Ann ran up to him and grabbed his arm. "Ren… Ren, please don't leave me."

"Ann…. Let me go.." Ren said in a monotonous tone, not daring to turn his head back to her.

"R-Ren..." Ann said in a defeated tone. Her grasp loosened as Ren forcefully removed his arm from Ann's hand. She helplessly watched as Ren walked away from her, realizing that no amount of begging would change his mind.

Unable to handle the heavy moment, Ann put both hands over her mouth as she began to let the tears flow. Her sobs began to grow heavier and heavier each passing second. Losing the strength to stand, Ann fell down to her knees as her cries manifested into the night.

"Hmph… Good riddance." Mika commented. She turned over to Tatsuya and motioned him to follow. "Come on.. I'm tired. Drop me off home, m'kay?"

"You can walk home." Tatsuya simply commented. Mika was taken aback by his comment. She watched in disbelief as he walked over and attempted to comfort Ann as she continued crying on the ground.

"You.. bastard!" Mika hissed at him under her breath. She hurried away from the scene.

"Ann.. I'm sorry.." Tatsuya attempted to apologize. As he laid a hand on Ann's shoulder, she quickly recoiled and slapped his hand away. Taking the hint, Tatsuya stood back up and allowed Ann to continue sobbing by herself. After Ren's decision to leave her, Tatsuya thought best not to approach her anymore, reminding himself that he was also part of the reason Ren separated from her.

"Ann? What the- what happened?!" Futaba returned to the group, along with Kasumi. Seeing Ann sobbing on the ground, Futaba immediately rushed up and wrapped her arms around her friend. She looked off into the distance and noted Ren far away from them. It took Futaba a moment to connect the two together. "Oh no.. Why..?"

"Ren-kun…" Kasumi spoke, shocked to see Ren leaving Ann. She couldn't fathom the possibility of one leaving the other – as she always saw the both of them supporting each other through thick and thin.

"Ren? Hey! Stop walking away! Get back here, damn it!" Morgana shouted, climbing out of Ann's purse and chased after Ren. Eventually catching up to him, Morgana tried to block Ren's pathway, only for the boy to casually step over him. Morgana looked up to Ren and noted the blank expression on his face. "What the hell are you doing? Turn around and  _fix_ things with Ann! You love her, don't you! You  _love_ her!"

Ren didn't respond, continuing his path back to Cafe Leblanc.

 _What the hell – this is not what was supposed to happen!_ Morgana began to worry. Was this the work of the Shadow that escaped their battle in the Spirit Palace hours ago? He attempted to figure out the factors that had began to deteriorate Ren and Ann's relationship. Morgana remembered the words that Justine said that warned about this possible fallout..

 _"I can only sense another trial of_ _honesty_ _to come in the real world, There is still more you must overcome to obtain the attribute - Keep an eye out on the_ _**Trickster** _ _and_ _**Lover** _ _.. With the Shadow enemy we've made still on the loose, it may use its power to influence their bond any way it can, whether directly through this Spirit Palace – or influencing those in your reality."_

Ann and Tatsuya's confession. Ren's parents. Ann's honesty about their frustrations in their relationship – all were a test relating to the Spirit Attribute of  **Honesty**.

Ren and Ann's current split - were from the doings of the new Shadow enemy.

Morgana understood his role – he needed to fix their relationship immediately.

Otherwise, Ren and Ann's bond would be broken forever.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	20. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ann suffers tremendously during her break-up. Ren and Morgana talk – before a confrontation with his parents arise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi fellow reader! Hope all is well! First of all - I'm glad to celebrate reaching twenty chapters for this fic! It's been super fun getting back into writing and I'm glad that y'all have been enjoying the story so far. As I have planned everything out from the very beginning, we are getting closer to the end of this adventure. Give or take - an estimate of 10 or so chapters? 
> 
> Secondly, a special announcement - instead of a new chapter for this fic next week, I plan on uploading a completely new story Persona fic! This one will be more light-hearted and focus on two pairings in mind, one of course - is ShuAnn, while the other is... RyuHaru! It'll be entitled "When You Became My World" and focus on the adventures of the Phantom Thieves traveling around the world, taking in new cultures, all while a budding romance happens between the two couples. It'll be funny, heartwarming and exciting! So please take a moment to check it out when uploaded next Saturday!
> 
> Have a good week everyone! Cheers!

 

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One**  
**Episode 20: CONFESSION**

* * *

 _**\- OCTOBER -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Ann's Bedroom** _  
_**Evening** _

Darkness filled Ann's room as nothing but silence accompanied her. The blinds were closed, omitting the night lights of Tokyo to enter her room. Ann currently wrapped herself in her blankets as she laid in bed. She stared off into empty space with the view of her room to be a mess - with clothes scattered everywhere, her desk piled up with the homework she neglected, and tear stains upon her sheets and pillows.

A week had passed since Ren had broken up with Ann after their argument back at her parent's fashion show. Ann didn't bother going to school for the entire week, as she mentioned to her parents that she wasn't feeling well. Her mother insisted on going to a doctor – but Ann opted to stay locked up in her room.

Not that it matters to them anymore – they'll be leaving tomorrow morning anyway.. Ann reminded herself. Regardless of the mess that Ryuji, Ren and Tatsuya caused from their fight, Ann's parents were able to salvage their show at Wilton Hotel and succeeded in the event. As Ann's parents were always on the move, they were immediately offered another job overseas and would be leaving first thing in the morning – leaving Ann alone once more with her caretakers.

_Loneliness.. An old friend of mine I'm always used to meeting with._

Ann took out her phone and cringed at the sight of her lock screen: It was the selfie she and Ren had taken back at Haru's coffee shop in Kyoto during one of their monthsaries. Their smiles as they embraced each other in the photo pained Ann, reminding her of old memories that didn't matter anymore.

_Admit it, Ann… It's over between you and him.._

For some reason, Ann was unable to muster up the courage to delete the old pictures of her and Ren off her phone. For the first couple nights since their break-up, Ann stayed up every waking minute to contact Ren through their video chat – to no avail as it always was ignored on his end.

For the nights following after she'd given up contact, Ann began to neglect herself as she barely ate. Not even the various sweets and snacks that her parents tried to entice her didn't work. No matter how often they knocked on her door and forced her out her bedroom, Ann managed to stick glued to her bed as she entered a state of depression.

Ann took a moment to reach her neck and fondled the heart necklace Ren had given her at the end of their summer break. She vividly remembered the scene as they walked along Onjuku Beach during sunset hours. Their hands were tightly interlocked as they enjoyed their special moment walking along the sandy beach while the calm breeze of the wind swayed the ocean waves beside them. Everything about that day seemed perfect – to spending time alone after the struggles they faced during their summer break – to the romantic kiss they shared as a symbol of their love.

Words of their conversation that day played through Ann's head.

...

_"This necklace – will be a symbol of our bond – an image of our hearts unifying together to make one, stronger heart that will continue growing each passing day." Ren remarked. "There's no telling what the future may hold for us – but I promise you that at the end of the day, I'll be there for you when you need me."_

_"Promise that you'll never let me go." Ann whispered to Ren._

_"I promise."_

_..._

_Ren… I miss you… So much.._  Ann felt tears roll down her cheek onto her pillow as she embraced the heart necklace close to her chest. His promise made – now broken – all because she was unable to be fully honest with Ren.

"Sweet crepe?" her father's voice chimed in as he gently opened the door to her bedroom. All he saw was the large lump on Ann's bed as she wrapped herself completely underneath her blankets. Mr. Takamaki sighed as he turned on the lights to her bedroom. "Dear.. your mother and I were wondering if you could come out for dinner tonight. We'd love for you to come out of your room."

Ann didn't responded, hiding herself underneath her blankets as she silently sobbed. She continued wiping away the tears on her face.

"Ann.. Please.. Your mother and I hate seeing you like this.." Mr. Takamaki attempted to comfort her. He slowly walked up to her bed and knelt down as he heard the soft whimpers of Ann under her blankets. "Dear… I know how much that Ren boy has hurt you.. But you must remain strong-hearted, my dear. There will be plenty of other men better suited for you in the future. Your mother and I can easily hook you up with many of the models we've worked with!"

Ann didn't want to hear her father's repetitive assurance. She appreciated his kindness though, but the last thing she wanted to hear was encouragement to move on and look for other suitors to her heart. Ann wasn't ready for that – her mind still focused on her incomparable love for Ren.

_Dad.. You know I love you.. But I don't want anyone else.. I want Ren back._

"Takamaki-san?" A familiar voice of a girl emitted into Ann's bedroom as the door creaked open. "Is Ann doing alright?"

"Oh… I'm afraid not, Shiho.. I've been doing everything I could, but she's still cooped up in her bed as usual.." Mr. Takamaki replied. "Maybe you'll have better luck than me or my wife.."

"Huh… Shiho?" Ann voiced weakly. Her heart began to race as she gently lifted the sheets off, sitting up as she noted her best friend standing at the doorway with two chocolate crepes in her hand. Ann didn't mind of her messed up bed hair or the dry tear stains remaining on her face.

"My goodness… You look like shit, Ann.." Shiho chuckled.

"There she is!" Mr. Takamaki expressed happily. He turned over to Shiho and nodded as he headed out of Ann's bedroom. "I'll give you girls a moment. Holler if you need a tub of cream or something."

As Mr. Takamaki closed the door to the bedroom, Shiho walked over to Ann's bed and waved the two chocolate crepes in her hand. "Your parents mentioned that you weren't eating – so I thought I'd bring your favorite treat to help cheer you up!

Ann gave a weak smile, taking the crepe in her hand and appreciating Shiho's gesture. She could always count on her best friend to bring a smile on her face. As Shiho sat down next to Ann on the bed, she gave her pained friend a concerned look and asked how she was holding up.

"Shiho… Shiho, I miss him so much..." Ann began to sob once more. Shiho began to hush softly as she embraced Ann, allowing the broken girl to cry into her shoulder.

"It's okay Ann… I'm here for you.. Always and forever.." Shiho assured her best friend.

Allowing Ann to cry for as long as she needed, Shiho eventually encouraged her friend to eat. She listened as Ann began to release all her emotions she had stored by herself for the last week. Ann vented about how she had messed up being so demanding of Ren to confess his relationship to his parents – and how that simple requested caused a butterfly effect that caused her to kiss Tatsuya in a moment of weakness and hid the truth, which eventually broke their relationship once Ren figured it out.

"Ann… First of all, your life is so dramatic.. You having been an actress totally fits your character.." Shiho expressed. Ann simply rolled her eyes at her best friend's comment as she continued munching on her chocolate crepe. Shiho sighed and took a napkin to wipe away the chocolate smears on Ann's face – noting that the girl didn't care about her appearance for the time being.

"What am I – a child to you? I can wipe my own face!" Ann yelped, snatching the napkin from Shiho's hand as she lazily wiped her own face.

"The way you're acting – a  _baby_  would be more accurate." Shiho retorted.

"Whatever... None of it matters, now that Ren's out of my life forever." Ann said in a defeated tone, falling backwards onto her bed as she laid there in a disheveled manner. She had run out tears for the time being and wanted to lay in her bed and sulk for the rest of the night.

Out of nowhere, Shiho locked one of Ann's feet into her arms and began to tickle her sole.

"Huh? Shiho, what are you doing? Sh-Sh-Shiho! S-S-Stop! Eheh..Hehehe.. Ahahahahah!" Ann began to laugh uncontrollably, squirming on her bed as Shiho vigorously tickled her feet with no mercy. Ann attempted to throw her pillows at Shiho's head, to no effect as her friend continued tickling her.

"This is what you get for being  _soooo_  sad all week!" Shiho teased as she continued torturing Ann, watching in amusement as her friend began to cry in laughter – helplessly enduring the tickling. Finally showing mercy, Shiho released Ann as the girl took a moment to catch her breath on her bed. Ann glared over to Shiho and began shaking her head.

"You're the embodiment of evil." Ann stated.

"I know." Shiho replied with a sly smile.

As the two girls sat on the edge of her bed, Shiho took a moment to caress Ann's face, noting the puffiness of her eyes from the endless nights of crying. Shiho took a moment to speak a word of encouragement to her bestie. "Ann… This is gonna be surprising to hear.. But it'll work out between the both of you.."

"What makes you say that?" Ann questioned. She felt her heart race again – but following her better judgement, chose not to dwell much on the hopeful words from Shiho. She understood her best friend was trying to cheer her up. But the last thing she wanted to hear was that her and Ren would find a way back together through empty promises.

"You don't need to believe me, Ann. But reflecting on everything that you and Ren have gone through these past months – I believe that this one single incident will not be enough to tear you two apart." Shiho prophesied. "Damn it, Ann. You're a woman with a strong heart! You were able to act out as the super-villain to the new Featherman movie! You were able to sing and dance on-stage in front of thousands of on-lookers at the summer festival! And most importantly - you were the one to help me get through my rehabilitation last year!"

"Shiho, listen-" Ann interrupted. She suddenly received a gentle bop on her forehead by Shiho with a rolled-up magazine, much to Ann's shock. "Huh? What the hell was that for!?"

"Shut up Ann! Now you listen!" Shiho demanded, pointing her finger at Ann's face. She suddenly unrolled the fashion magazine used on Ann and threw it into her friend's lap. Ann took magazine into her hand and recognized it immediately as it had her face on the front. Shiho began to tap on the magazine in Ann's lap. "Remember this issue that you did last spring?"

"Y-Yeah.. Uhm.. They asked me to do an interview about one aspect that was important to me when I model." Ann replied.

"Okay… And what was your main answer?"

"To.. be a strong influence.." Ann answered.

"Exactly!" Shiho raised her hands in relief. "You are Ann Takamaki – renown model, actress, singer, dancer and more! You are super talented! And you've never let anything get in your way before! But you can't be that lady you aspire to be if you don't get off your ass and  _do_  something about your current heartbreak!"

"You're… You're right! I am going to do something about it!" Ann pumped her fist into the air, feeling a sudden rush of motivation from Shiho's encouragement.

"Right! So what are you what are you gonna do?" Shiho asked eagerly.

"I'm… uh… I'm gonna keep calling Ren until he answers his phone, damnit!" Ann suggested, immediately grabbing her phone and began texting Ren's number.

"STOP! Ugh… And you were on the right track." Shiho shook her head as she picked up a pillow from Ann's bed and threw it to her friend's head, taking away her phone. Shiho began to head for the door. "Come on.. Put on something decent – we're going out."

"Huh? W-Where are we going?" Ann asked, staring at Shiho as she turned back and winked to her friend.

"You're gonna be a woman who exhibits her strength. And the only way to do that is to show kindness to a friend in need."

* * *

 _**\- OCTOBER -** _  
_**Tokyo, Japan** _  
_**Medical University Hospital** _  
_**Evening** _

The hospital was currently quiet at night as the medical staff did their routine checks around the unit. Many of the patients were resting at this time of night. Ann and Shiho made their way over to one of the hospital rooms. The bed closest to the entrance remained empty, leaving the sole occupant with peace and quiet all to themselves as they recovered from their injuries.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready, Shiho..." Ann confessed, stopping in her tracks as they were about to enter the room.

"Ann.. You can do this.. All the strength you need is right here." Shiho reminded, pointing to Ann's chest where her heart was located. She gently grabbed Ann's hand and guided her into the room. "Come.. I know he's been waiting for us."

Ann felt nervous at the upcoming confrontation. It had been an entire week since the incident where Ren and Ryuji fought each other at her parent's fashion show over Ann. The outcome didn't end well for either parties involved – as one came out with severe injuries, while the other – although unscathed, left with a broken heart.

It was only going to be a matter of time anyway.. Ann took a deep breath as Shiho guided them around the curtains that was hiding the patient in their bed.

"Hey Ann.. How's it going?" Ryuji spoke in a weak tone, managing to gain the strength to smile. He laid comfortably in his hospital bed, with an IV bag attached to his left arm. The monitor by his bedside beeped at a monotonous, steady tone to signify Ryuji's steady vitals. The pull up desk had a tray of some leftover dinner that Ryuji didn't bother eating. The boy himself looked a bit messy with both his gown and hair – accompanied with a cast around his right arm, but it didn't change the fact that he was happy to see Ann.

"Ryuji..." Ann gently spoke, walking over to his side and grabbed his free hand, rubbing it affectionately. Memories of his fight between Ren began to flash in Ann's mind as she recalled the point when Ryuji fell from the balcony and landed on the table. Fortunately, the table did manage to soften his landing, but the medical team requested Ryuji to remain bedridden for the time being so his body could heal itself. Luckily, the only major injury he sustained was a fractured right arm – which required the cast he wore. Other than that, Ryuji would make a slow, but steady recovery.

"I'll be honest.. you look kinda like shit right now, Ann. But I'm glad to see you." Ryuji teased.

"Heheh… I could say the same for you, Ryuji." Ann giggled, managing to share a small laugh between herself and Ryuji. "How have you been holding up?"

"Ehh… It's gotten kinda boring in this hospital bed. The food is terrible. Painkillers are a hassle to take. Plus there's nothing interesting to watch on these channels. But other than that – I've been doing well." Ryuji croaked, taking his time to speak as his voice felt hoarse. "But.. seeing you definitely brightened up my day."

"Mhmm.. glad I could make it better." Ann said. She suddenly began to feel tears well up in her eyes. This Ryuji she was talking about seemed to be at peace right now – which was completely different from how he acted the night of the fight – with being all jealous and aggressive. The entire situation was too much for Ann at the moment as she felt began to feel guilt re-emerge.

"Ann.. Hey..." Shiho rubbed the back of Ann's shoulder, noticing her best friend wiping away a couple tears.

"Sorry… It's just… Ryuji.. I'm sorry for everything.. Like.. everything I did to you.." Ann choked. Shiho immediately found a couple napkins for Ann to wipe her face and motioned her to sit on the chair by Ryuji's bed. The entire time, Ann held onto Ryuji's hand as she mustered up the strength to talk. "I.. wasn't a good friend.. It was wrong of me to neglect your feelings this entire time. Ryuji.. You truly are special to me and I do cherish you for all that we've gone through together."

"Ann… It's okay.. I know that." Ryuji reassured her, rubbing his fingers back to Ann's hand to soothe her. After Ryuji had woken up, he had felt a sudden sense of peace come to his mind, grateful of the opportunity of still being alive – and also with a resolve to his current feelings for Ann and his bond with Ren. "Look, I know you care about me. But it's definitely not at the same level that you care as much for Ren. And I need to learn how to accept that. I truly want the best for you guys. It's just that my feelings simply deceived me from truly believing that."

Ann simply nodded as she continued wiping away her tears – feeling a sense of gratitude that Ryuji managed to deal with his emotions maturely. She finally felt that her bond with Ryuji was slowly healing as they both came to terms on their feelings for one another.

"Hey.. Speaking of Ren, where is he at? Been wanting to talk to him for awhile now" Ryuji asked, raising an eyebrow to Ann.

"Right.. You haven't heard yet.." Ann took a deep breath and took the time to break the news to Ryuji. "You see.. After the incident at the hotel when we brought you to the hospital.. Mika broke the news of a mistake I made to Ren."

Ann began explaining the entire situation to Ryuji – about how she had made the mistake of letting her feelings succumb to inadequacy from Ren's parents – to kissing Tatsuya during their Featherman filming out of confusion.

Hiding that secret for months until Mika spoke out of jealousy and vengeance, exposing Ann and Tatsuya's mistake to Ren – causing Ren and Ann's bond to shatter for the past week.

"Damn… That Mika girl may be hot – but she's a downright bitch!" Ryuji stated. He gritted his teeth as he felt furious that Mika singlehandedly destroyed Ren and Ann's relationship. "Well.. how's Ren taking in all this? Have you talked to him?"

"He won't answer his phone.. I haven't gotten a hold of him since then." Ann confessed, lowering her head as the same pain she had been feeling the past week resurface. She sorely wanted to talk to Ren – but she couldn't do anything about it if he didn't want anything to do with her right now.

"Ann.. Whatever you do – don't give up on that guy." Ryuji advised, much to Ann's surprise. "Ren.. I can sense how much he loves you. Through all the things he's done for you – setting up your special monthsary date at Haru's coffee shop, fighting for your second chance to be in the Featherman movie, confessing his love for you through a song in front of freakin' thousands - and even coming all the way to Tokyo to meet your parents. Any guy with a brain could tell that you mean a lot to him!"

"Ryuji.." Ann said as her heart felt a warm, tingling sensation from Ryuji's comforting words as he reminded her of Ren's countless acts of love.

"Please Ann.. If there is only one guy who I'd want to see you happy with.. it's with Ren." Ryuji confessed.

Ryuji's words hit Ann hard. She could sense now that Ryuji was being truly honest with himself – understanding that his chance with Ann was gone a long time ago. As one of her closest friends, Ryuji could only wish the best in Ann's life – and he would have to move on eventually as well.

Touched by Ryuji's kindness, Ann gave a gentle kiss on her friend's hand as she laid it back on his lap.

"I'm so glad we could finally fix things between us." Ann said with gratitude.

"I feel the same way." Ryuji smiled back. "Now Ann - Go get your man back!"

* * *

 _**\- OCTOBER -** _  
_**Kyoto, Japan** _  
_**Amamiya Residence** _  
_**Evening** _

Ren currently sat in his room – with the only light coming from his lampshade as he attempted to study at his computer desk. He constantly tapped his pen onto his notebook – empty as Ren was unable to focus. His mind had been all over the place the entire week. School seemed to drag on for him as his heart lingered on the painful revelation Ann brought to him that fateful night last week in Tokyo.

 _Why didn't she just tell me? Did Ann not trust me enough with her feelings?_ Ren thought. _The idea alone of Ann kissing Tatsuya wasn't the only thing that broke his heart – but her decision to hide the fact from him was what added to the pain._

Ann's choice not to be honest with Ren made him anxious – All he ever wanted from her was complete reciprocation, which included telling the truth if anything bothered them.

 _Damnit it.. How could I say that when I've been so hypocritical through my own actions._ Ren reminded himself, slapping his own forehead.

Honesty was important to Ren – yet his mind began to reflect on Ann's particular argument at how Ren was unable to be honest with his own parents about their relationship, which was a major factor that led to their fight and eventual break-up.

_My parents.. They wouldn't understand me... I'd lose their trust if they found out._

Morgana laid on Ren's bed as he watched the boy rest his head atop his desk and sighed, completely stressed about by everything in his life. With Ren and Ann's break-up, their bond was broken to bits, meaning that he wouldn't be able to realize the rest of the attributes for the Spirit Amulet. This wouldn't have mattered much to Morgana, except the stakes had been raised as he vowed to complete his mission in order to revive Justine's dead sister and stop the Shadow within the Spirit Palace from harnessing more energy and wrecking havoc in the real world with its newfound powers.

"Hey.. Ren?" Morgana called over. Ren kept his face down on his desk. Morgana decided to take a "more in-your-face" approach as he rushed over from his spot on the bed and jumped onto the boy's back, climbing onto the computer desk as Morgana rubbed his body affectionately against Ren's head while he purred.

"Not now, Morgana.." Ren groaned as he lazily swatted a hand at him.

"Hey! Don't abuse animals!" Morgana growled. He began to nuzzle his nose into Ren's hair. Finally giving in, Ren sat up and gave him an annoyed look. "Alright! Now that I have your attention, let me speak the truth about your current relationship problem with Lady Ann."

"I don't wanna talk about it, Morgana..." Ren insisted.

"Suck it up, buttercup!" Morgana hissed. He sat in a regal position on the computer desk as he forced Ren to listen to what he had to say. "Ren – believe it or not, but I have faith that you'll fix things with Lady Ann."

"Morgana, I appreciate you looking out for me, but it's over between us." Ren sighed. "I know I messed over things with breaking up with Ann. But I just can't deal with all these issues with honesty anymore. My heart's aching too much right now."

"Oh... BOO-HOO! Poor little Ren, well listen up! We  _all_  go through issues with honesty with those we love. Even I had to deal with it!" Morgana confessed.

"What do you mean?" Ren asked, curious to what Morgana was about to say.

"Damn it, Ren! Did you not realize how I would feel about you and Ann dating? I'm sure I made it obvious about my feelings for her throughout our Phantom Thieving days – but  _noooo_ , you had to go right ahead and steal my thunder on Valentines Day!" Morgana let out. He took a moment to breathe as he watched Ren's expression slowly shift into bewilderment.

"Morgana.. I.. I never knew.." Ren admitted.

"WHAT! Seriously? After almost a year of me pining over Lady Ann – you didn't think I'd get hurt seeing you two together? I had to suffer through that heartbreak every day for awhile!" Morgana released his frustration on Ren – who simply remained quiet, unable to respond to his friend's confession.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Morgana. This is all my fault." Ren lowered his head into his hands. Morgan couldn't help but sigh and begin to feel sorry himself for ranting at his friend - who was currently going through the toughest trial in his life so far.

"Listen, what I'm trying to say is this same pain regarding the truth Ann hid from you all these months is the exact same problem I had when you hid your relationship from not only me, but the rest of our friends as well." Morgana began to explain calmly. "But look at me now – I've managed to move on and come to peace with your relationship."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough like you, Morgana." Ren admitted, surprising the cat. "I didn't know you were feeling heartbroken because you managed to hide it so well from me. But my current issue with Ann – I overreacted over one hidden kiss that she honestly never meant to initiate – yet it was technically prompted by  _my_  actions for not confessing our relationship with my parents."

"Tsk tsk.. You  _are_  a bit delusional when it comes to these type of relationships, I'll admit. But I believe that you'll figure it out. You and Ann always found a way past these obstacles." Morgana reassured Ren.

"Morgana… I'm sorry again for neglecting your feelings for Ann." Ren began to apologize. "I was selfish. I should have consulted you about my growing feelings with her before making a move."

"Ehh... It's fine. To be honest, I'm glad it's you over any other guy Lady Ann fell in love with." Morgana admitted. "I've watched your relationship with Ann grow every single day. The love you both displayed for each other - through the  _joy_  you share, the  _service_  you've provided, the  _loyalty_  established, the  _kindness_  you've offered – all these attributes you've showcased in your relationship is why I believe there's still more to come for the both of you."

Ren smiled and began to pet the side of Morgana's ear. Usually, this would annoy him, but Morgana happily accepted the affectionate gesture as he began to purr.

"Morgana, I'm grateful to have you." Ren spoke as his mind began to calm down and heart came to peace with his situation. "With you by my side, it's like I always have a guardian angel watching over me."

"Mweheheheh… What can I say, my attitude can be quite heavenly at times." Morgana playfully boasted.

"Ren? REN! Get down here now!" the voice of his father yelled out to him from downstairs. The sudden outburst almost caused Ren and Morgana to jump from their seat. It was an unusual tone that Ren's father echoed out.

"Oh geez, he doesn't sound too happy." Morgana expressed. He turned over to Ren with a look of concern. "You didn't get in trouble or anything, right?"

"I don't think so. I've been doing my basic routine for the past week. I wonder what my father wants." Ren replied calmly.

Morgana followed Ren out from his bedroom and perched on the railing of the stairs. He watched Ren as he made his way into the living room where he confronted his parents. Mrs. Amamiya sat down on their sofa with a distressed look on her face, while Mr. Amamiya paced back and forth as he awaited his son to come to them.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on?" Ren asked. He immediately sensed the tension within the room. "Did… Did something bad happen?"

"Ren-kun… Please be truthful to us. You'd  _never_ hide anything behind our back, would you?" Mrs. Amamiya suddenly asked as she looked up to her son.

Ren was caught off-guard. "Uhm... N-No. I don't have anything to hide from you."

"Son, I politely ask that you put down the facade and tell us the truth this instant." Mr. Amamiya demanded, stopping in his tracks.

"F-Father, what's going on? Why are you confronting me all of a sudden?" Ren asked, now beginning to feel anxious. His heart began to race as he felt a sudden argument about to begin.

"Ren-kun. Is it true… that you are in a relationship with Takamaki-san?" Mrs. Amamiya asked, keeping a calm tone in her voice.

Ren froze in his spot, unable to comprehend how his parents managed to find out about his relationship. Upon the staircase, Morgana felt his fur stick up in shock, feeling just as surprised like Ren.

"I...I..." Ren stuttered, his mouth unable to vocalize any words.

"SON! Just stop lying and tell us the truth! NOW!" Mr. Amamiya suddenly shouted, stomping a foot towards Ren.

"Dear! Please, keep your voice down!" Mrs. Amamiya reminded her husband.

"I… Yes.. I've been in a relationship." Ren managed to muster up the courage. He turned his head down in shame, finally letting out the truth to his parents. "I've been dating Ann Takamaki since I had last moved to Tokyo last year during my probation. It…. It just happened between us. But please, I never meant to hide it from you."

"Cut the crap son. You've been hiding this truth for almost a year behind our backs!" Mr. Amamiya's voice began to escalate. Frustration began to grow within his head at the perception of betrayal from his own son. "Ren-kun, we made it  _very_ clear that you were  _not_ allowed to be in a relationship, especially after you had just completed your probation! You promised to honour our wishes and yet you decide to act upon your own accord behind our backs! How  _dare_ you!"

"Please dear! Don't yell at him like that!" Mrs. Amamiya pleaded to her husband in an attempt to calm him down.

"I…. I never meant to, father. I… I..." At this very moment, Ren was speechless. "How.. How did you find out?"

"Ryuji's mother called our home and asked about your well-being," Mrs. Amamiya explained, attempting to maintain her composure to prevent adding any further fire into this heated moment. "She mentioned to us about the fight you and Ryuji had over Takamaki-san due to both of your feelings over her. She mentioned everything about how you've been dating Takamaki-san the entire time up to this point. It seemed like she knew a lot about your endeavor as of recent."

"Huh? Ryuji's mother spilled the beans – specifically all about Ren and Ann's secret relationship from his parents?" Morgana whispered to himself, trying to comprehend this complex situation. He could only assume that Ryuji had been telling his mother every little detail about Ren and Ann's relationship, and naturally, brought up the topic to Ren's parent's. Morgana shook his head. "Uggggh… Seem's like being a blabber mouth runs in the Sakamoto household. But I can't blame her for showing concern though."

"This entire time, son, you've been hiding this relationship behind our backs, as well as getting involved in a fight in Tokyo!" Mr. Amamiya resumed his rant. "Has that been the entire reason you've been making these small trips to the city? To quench your thirst by being with Takamaki-san? We even welcomed her in our own home during the summer! Did she come only for her Featherman movie, or did the two of you have some secret agenda behind our backs as well?"

"Dear, please tone down your voice." Mrs. Amamiya reminded her husband.

"Why should I? Our own son chose to hide this relationship for more than a year behind our back! What  _more_  is he hiding from us? He could be selling drugs or committing thievery for all we know!" Mr. Amamiya yelled. He turned back to his son. "We've raised you to become an honest man. To focus on your studies. But you decide to go against our simple wishes and dare to associate yourself with a girl like Takamaki-san. It's like you've changed into this unruly rebel ever since you transferred to Tokyo last year. I am disappointed in you, son."

The entire time, Ren stood there frozen in place, fearful of saying anything in retaliation. This had been the first time since his own father yelled at him in ferocity.

"Ren… Come on, are you just gonna take that from your old man?" Morgana spoke to himself, eagerly awaiting for Ren to respond.

"Father… I'm sorry, but I  _chose_  to make those decisions myself." Ren began to breathe out in response, managing to muster up the courage to defend himself. "I decided to date Ann Takamaki because I  _love_ her. She was always there for me through the toughest challenges back in Tokyo. We both supported each other when we ourselves felt like outsiders to everyone. Speaking of, where the  _hell_ where you and mom when I was gone?"

Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya looked at their son with shocked expressions.

"You  _freakin_ ' shipped me off as soon as you could to maintain your reputations! You  _barely_ fought back against the court for that false accusation made against me! All you did was allow the higher-ups to control the fate of our family." Ren expressed. "You didn't even bother contacting me  _once_ when I was away! Hell, you didn't even visit when they sent me off to juvenile hall after Christmas!"

"Ren-kun… Please, you know why we had to do all that in the first place." Mrs. Amamiya reminded him. "Our hands didn't have much dealt in our favor. If.. If we kept you under our custody, your father and I would have been looked down upon as parents and potentially lose our jobs. Sending you off to Sojiro-san was our  _only_ valid option. But that shouldn't matter anymore! You were innocent the whole time, right? We can move on from this."

"How can I move on, knowing that we always have to lie with each other?" Ren expressed further. His hands began to clench into fists as he continued venting. "I've always thought that my control on my own choices didn't matter under this household. I couldn't make decisions of my own unless they were under  _your_ approval. My career, my relationship, my education – all of it was manufactured by  _your_ ideals, when it should be  _me_ carving my own path!"

"Then leave, damn it." Mr. Amamiya spoke.

Ren and his mother looked up to him with surprise.

"You said it yourself. We'd only be holding you back from your potential, right? All the hard work that we've done to give you this opportunity to have a good life means nothing to you, hmm?" Mr. Amamiya expressed calmly as he took a seat on the opposing couch.

"Dear… I-I'm sure he didn't mean it like that." Mrs. Amamiya tried to reason with him.

"You want to have the freedom to make your own decisions? To rebel against your providers? Fine – go on ahead. But I won't allow the likes of  _you_ to live under my household anymore." Mr. Amamiya stated coldly, staring down his son. "You are clearly the sole definition of  _ungrateful._ We should have left you in Tokyo even after your probation ended."

The next few words managed to crumble towards Ren's tough exterior.

"You are not my son anymore. Get out."

Silence filled the room. For the next few moments, no one moved under the tense atmosphere.

"...Fine." Ren suddenly whispered out.

Slowly backing up, Ren faced downwards as he made his way towards the doorway – leaving in a strangely calm manner.

"Huh? W-Wait, he's just leaving?" Morgana spoke to himself. He turned back down to the Amamiyas to see their reaction. Mrs. Amamiya began to sob in her seat, while her husband sat in silence, yet breathed heavily as he did his best to prevent his anger from lashing out from their son's departure. "W-What the hell – no, this isn't right. None of this should be happening!"

Morgana swiftly ran back through Ren's room, making his way out of the balcony and jumped down to the front steps to where Ren had exited – to his horror to find no one there. Panicking, Morgana looked all around in his vicinity until he heard the sound of footsteps running of in the distance.

"Ren! REEEEEN! Get back here!" Morgana shouted, chasing after Ren as he saw him sprint down the quiet neighbourhood at night.

Ren continued sprinting through the neighbourhood, not daring to turn back. Morgana struggled to keep up with Ren as they made their way into downtown Kyoto. Eventually making their way to the empty train station, Ren stopped in his tracks and finally collapsed onto his knees. He breathed heavily from both physical and mental exhaustion. His breathing heaved while tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Ren? Hey, how you holding up?" Morgana asked, managing to catch up to Ren.

"Why… Why am I hurting everyone that I love..?" Ren began to cry out.

Morgana immediately sensed the dread within Ren's heart. A man now full of regrets with pushing away the closest people in his life. His heart cried out in pain from the mistakes he's made. First with Ann, with Ren being unable to handle the honesty she revealed in her mistake with Tatsuya. Then with his own parents as the truth of his hidden relationship made its way to them.

These tests of honesty broke down Ren. And now he was a man of heartache.

But what made this sudden shift in Ren's relationships? What sort of outside powers could be interfering in his bonds that threatened to break them?

Morgana reminded himself of the current state of his own mission.

 _Could this heartbreak he's going through – be caused from the energy of the Shadow enemy recently loose in his and Ann's Palace?_ Morgana pondered. He knew that the Spirit Attribute of Honesty still needed to be obtained. And all these obstacles that Ren and Ann were going through in their relationship related to the attribute itself.

Plus, the Shadow enemy was now sentient. It had free will to do as it pleased within Ren and Ann's Spirit Palace, meaning that it could utilize its power to influence their relationship in reality for the worse.

If Morgana wanted to defeat the Shadow enemy tainting their Palace - then he would first need to help Ren and Ann reconcile in the real world.

"Morgana… I-I seriously don't know what do to." Ren confessed, wiping away the tears in his eyes as he continued kneeling in the empty train station. "My bonds are broken. And it's because of my stubbornness to run away from the truth. What… What do I do?"

Morgana went up to Ren and gently laid a paw on his knee, prompting him on a path to recovery and forgiveness.

"Alright Ren, I'll help you out. But first I need you to figure out the next train heading to Tokyo."

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	21. Melody of Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren pursues to make amends in his relationships. A sudden revelation falls upon one of the group members."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello fellow reader! Hope that you've been having a good week so far. It's been awhile since we've had some positive moments for Shuann within this story - so I think it's about time we get some this week! Let's get right into it, shall we?

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 21: MELODY OF RECONCILIATION**

* * *

 **\- OCTOBER -  
** **Tokyo, Japan**  
**Cafe Leblanc**  
 **Morning**

"Bye Sojiroooooo! I'm heading off to class!" Futaba exclaimed. After having a filling breakfast of Sojiro's coffee and curry, Futaba grabbed her belongings and made her way to the door. Clad in her winter Shujin outfit, Futaba began to make her way to school with her head held high in optimism.

As Futaba reached out for the door knob, an unexpected force opened the door, causing her to smack her forehead right into the windows with a loud thud. Futaba cried out as she stumbled backwards.

"Pleasant day, Futaba- Oh my goodness!" Kasumi yelped, realizing that she had just clocked her friend in the face with the door. "Futaba! Are you okay?"

"Ughh…. And I was having such a good morning too." Futaba groaned as she rubbed her forehead. "Kasumi – we have windows on the door for a reason. Use 'em!"

Kasumi quickly apologized and promised to buy her friend yakisoba bread after school, which immediately cheered up Futaba. The girls began making their way over to the train station until they were stopped by a familiar face.

"Futaba... Kasumi..." Ren groggily called out to them. He approached them from behind, much to the girl's surprise.

"Huh? Ren, what the heck are you doing here?" Futaba yelped in surprise. She immediately noticed his distressed state. Bags loomed underneath his eyes while his shoulders and head drooped downwards. "No offense Ren, but you look terrible. What happened?"

"We've got a lot to talk about." Morgana spoke up, popping his head out of Ren's bag. "I know y'all have school, but mind if we chat for a bit?"

…

Ren took a moment to explain everything regarding his recent fight with his parents last night, leading up to his father's proclamation of disowning him. Futaba, Sojiro and Kasumi all sat down and listened, offering their words of comfort and support during Ren's distressing time.

"I… I'm legit at a loss of words right now." Futaba expressed in bewilderment. "H-How could your father say something like that?"

"I'm sorry for what you're going through right now, Ren." Kasumi empathized with him, reflecting on her own experience with the feuds between her parents and herself. "This must be such a troubling time for your entire family."

"Geez - I'd never expect your old man to say that to your face. It's just… so unlike him." Sojiro expressed. His opinions came from personal experience in knowing Ren's father as a family friend. "Ren, my best advice for you is to call your parents. Let them know you're alright. I can only imagine how worried they are now after watching you walk out."

"I understand Sojiro. But there's something I need to do first before I talk to my parents." Ren insisted. He looked over to Morgana and the two nodded to each other, having already spent the night on the train on Ren's next course of action to recovery. "This whole mess between my family – it's all because of my issue on running away from my problems. I've learned that I shouldn't hide the truth from those I love. I  _need_  to be honest with my feelings. And that includes my friends as well."

Ren looked down over to his phone, his screen already prompted on a message that he was about to send to a friend he hadn't talked to for awhile now. Taking a deep breath, Ren sent the message.

 _[Ren Amamiya]  
Hey, Ryuji… Mind if we talk after_ school?

* * *

 **\- OCTOBER -  
** **Tokyo, Japan**  
**Shujin Academy**  
 **After School**

Ren awaited outside the school gates of Shujin academy, watching as the students began making their way out of the doorways and headed to their respective after-school hangouts – whether it'd be work, the mall, study hall or home.

"Don't worry, you've got this. If your bond is truly strong, then I'm sure he'll be open to listening to what you have to say." Morgana assured Ren, opting to remain in his bag while they continued waiting for Ryuji.

Just then, a familiar boy with his unique spiky blonde hair emerged from the crowd. Ren noted his friend's appearance, watching as Ryuji took a moment to hop down the school's steps with one foot remaining in a cast. Bring his crutches back to his sides, Ryuji made his way over to Ren.

"Uhm… Hey man." Ryuji greeted Ren. He quickly noticed the lack of sleep in his friend's eyes. "Damn, no offense, but you look like shit."

"Ryuji… Uhm, how are you man?" Ren managed to reply back, unsure of how to feel to see his friend further incapacitated with his leg. His own guilt grew as Ren reminded himself of that fateful night at the Wilton Hotel – in which he indirectly caused Ryuji's life-threatening injuries, only for a miracle to happen as he managed to recover slowly within the last few days.

"Bro… To be honest, I've felt better." Ryuji remarked. He brought attention to his crutches. "I'm still getting used to these bad boys, eheh."

An uneasy silence befall upon the two as they tried to figure out what to say next.

"Uhh… Wanna grab a bite to eat? Big Bang Burger maybe?" Ren suggested.

"Yeah… Sure." Ryuji replied.

During the entire commute, Ren and Ryuji remained silent as they walked side-by-side. The tension between them from their fight still lingered. This unplanned encounter had been the first time the duo had interacted with one another in person. To imagine that the strong bond that they had forged for a whole year now felt so… awkward – all due to the fact that it had been tainted by the feelings for one girl that was important in both boy's lives.

 _Grrrgh… I can feel the awkwardness between them already. I just hope Ren doesn't steer away from the truth while they talk. He needs to learn how to fix these kinds of problems by himself!_ Morgana recounted to himself as the group entered the Big Bang restaurant within Shibuya.

The duo ordered their food and sat across from one another, with Ryuji taking the booth seats to fit his belongings and crutches while Ren sat on the free chair from across. The two focused on their food first, indulging on their meal of burger, fries and soda.

Throughout their time of eating, the boys not once looked at each other or conversed. The atmosphere irked Morgana as he desired for a resolution to occur already.

 _Huh? What are they doing? They've been eating in silence for the last ten minutes!_ Morgana shook his head as he continued spying from within Ren's bags.  _Why aren't they talking? The whole point of eating out was to talk to each other and fix things!_

As if Morgana's silent protests was answered, Ren began making conversation first.

"Ryuji… Listen, I know it's a bit unexpected of me to come here all of a sudden. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting to come here myself. But certain circumstances forced me to escape here." Ren began to explain.

"For' real? Dude… Like, I had a feeling that something wasn't right, but is it  _that_  serious?" Ryuji asked.

"Yeah, it's pretty serious." Ren took a deep breath and sighed. "My… My parents and I recently got into a fight regarding hiding the truth of my relationship with Ann, which ended up with me confessing about it. My parents, more specifically – my dad, ended up disowning me. So I ran out and ended up here."

"Damn. Just… wow." Ryuji's eyes were left wide-open in disbelief. "And this is all because you hid your relationship with Ann for the past year from them?"

Ren nodded. Suddenly, he felt himself clench his fist as he reminded himself of his past actions that led to his current circumstance. His inability to be upfront and tell the truth – to cower behind a wall of fear in order to save his own well-being, which managed to break down the bridges of trust he had between his loved ones.

But now, Ren was taking responsibility. His desire to be accountable – and Morgana's push to resolve these issues – finally brought Ren to where he was now.

To fix one of his closest bonds ever.

"Ryuji… I need to apologize to you." Ren began. He ended up lowering his head as he felt a large lump form in his throat while he struggled to hold back his emotions. "It's all my fault this happened. I've been hiding away from being honest for so long, thinking that I could trick not only others, but myself, into making things appear alright. But honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. And my hesitation and cowardice led to our fallout. It's because of my selfishness that you ended up getting hurt."

Ryuji noted a tear fall down from Ren's face, staining one of the napkins near his finished meal.

"If I had been upfront about my relationship with Ann to you and the others from the very beginning, then maybe these pent up emotions that you've been feeling recently wouldn't have escalated. And for that, I am sorry." Ren added with heavy emotion.

"Dude… Why are you apologizing? It should be me doing all this." Ryuji finally spoke.

Ren gave a surprised look, wiping away a tear as he looked up to his friend.

"Listen, I still don't know exactly what overcame me that night at the fashion show. But since you brought up all this accountability stuff – I think I need to take responsibility on myself as well." Ryuji said, taking a moment to lean back in his chair. "Something unexplainable just overcame me. My emotions weren't at check. And I acted irrationally without thought. Guess you could say it's my usual stubbornness that got the best of me, right?"

Ren let out a small chuckle, continuing to listen to what Ryuji had to say.

"After everything we've been through since we met at Shujin last year, I've realized how you and Ann are super important to me. Y'all stuck up for me when I felt like everyone despised my guts. Shitty feeling, yeah, but it was your friendship that kept me going. And… yet I was too stupid to think of how my own actions could still affect others."

Ryuji took a deep breath as unease overcame him while remembering how his emotions deceived him regarding his feelings for Ann.

"Ann's very lucky to have you, man." Ryuji continued. "And my usual brash mind couldn't see that perspective – I just wanted things to go my way. But now I realize how idiotic I've acted."

"You're not an idiot, Ryuji." Ren replied.

"Yeah I am. I tried getting in between two of my closest friend's relationship! I made this unnecessary love triangle happen between us!" Ryuji explained, shaking his head in embarrassment. "Man – this kind of situation reminds me of those over-the-top drama in mangas that I've read."

Ren chuckled at Ryuji's comment. "Yeah – it could even fit into a bad trope for some fan fiction, now that I think about it."

Ryuji laughed at Ren's remark. He took a moment to process his thoughts before continuing on his rant.

"To be honest, it still confuses me to even figure out why I felt selfish in the first place – it's like some sort of supernatural influence overtook my mind or something." Ryuji expressed in confusion. "But looking at this situation with a fresh mind, all I can do now is say sorry and do whatever I can to help fix things between you and Ann. Heck – I even started praying at the church in Kanda every so often.

"Heheh – you've never done that before. That's totally unlike you." Ren commented in a light-hearted manner, even causing Ryuji to chuckle.

"Right? Dude, like I said, this whole experience has been eye-opening to me." Ryuji remarked. "Still though, that's the honest truth. I acted out of character. And this whole mess probably added fuel to the fire in your messed-up situation at the moment. But dammit, I wanna help you out, brother!"

Ryuji suddenly slammed a fist on the table.

"Ren – lemme help you fix everything! With your family and with Ann. You helped me turn my life around last year, this is the least I could do for you now!" Ryuji demanded.

"Ryui – thank you. That… really means a lot, brother." Ren smiled back.

Morgana peeked out of Ren's bag, happily noting the two boys being able to talk again without any more drama between them. With Ren learning how to be more upfront about his issues, and Ryuji apologizing for his behavior, the duo were able to move on from their problem and begin building their friendship again.

 _Mweheheh… the Shadow enemy within the Spirit Palace tried to rip the bonds between these guys, but look at 'em now! Their friendship just as strong as before! Take that, you stupid Shadow!_ Morgana celebrated in his own head.

With the Spirit Amulet around his neck, Morgana could sense a wave of peace flourish not only in Ren and Ryuji's bond, but the Spirit Palace as well. The Shadow's possible influence in the real world was hindered thanks to Ren's understanding to the importance of being honest. This Spirit Attribute of Honesty – now being learned – began to show its positive effects in Ren's relationships within reality.

"So… What are you going to do now, bro?" Ryuji asked, raising an eyebrow to Ren. "You and I have fixed things. What's your next move?"

Ren looked down to Morgana and nodded over to him. He then looked over to his neck and gently caressed the golden jewelry of a half-heart necklace that he had bought for him and his significant other.

"I need to go and make amends with Ann." Ren simply stated.

"I see. How are you going to do that?" Ryuji asked in curiosity.

"Actually – I was hoping to have your help on this one." Ren brought up. He motioned Ryuji to lean in closer about his plan of reconciliation. "Alright, now this is what I had in mind..."

* * *

 **\- OCTOBER -  
** **Tokyo, Japan**  
**Takamaki Residence**  
 **Evening**

Ann began her preparations for bedtime – brushing her teeth, changing into her pyjamas and preparing her belongings for tomorrow. During her alone time in her bedroom, Ann could hear her parent's conversing downstairs as they prepared for their next business trip in Europe, which they would be leaving in the next couple days.

Nothing new for Ann – she was used to the routine of her parents coming and going every so often. She had gotten used to the thought of being alone at home - save for her caretaker to check up on her during the evenings and weekends.

But this time, this looming sense of loneliness felt more pronounced. In the recent months, Ann was able to find solace with Ren's company. But after their most recent break-up initiated by Ren, Ann had spiralled down into nights of crying and constant indulgence of sweets, while her void of feeling empty and alone were amplified with reality crashing down from her loved ones leaving her.

But not tonight.

For this night – after her recent talks with her best friend Shiho, Ann managed to cope with the reality and learned to be patient. To be grateful for what she already had with friends, family and her career. Ann remained calm and continued pushing forward. To take every single day as it was. To remain the strong-hearted girl she desired to be.

"Still.. I miss him. So much." Ann sighed, looking down to the silver half-heart necklace that Ren had given to her at the end of summer. Ann began to shake her head. "No… That's enough wallowing from you. In time, things will heal. But you gotta keep focusing on yourself first, Ann. Things  _will_ work out."

Taking a moment to stretch out and yawn while sitting at the edge of her bed, Ann mentally prepared herself for slumber, before her ears caught the sound of music playing outside her bedroom window.

"Hmph…? Is that… a guitar playing?" Ann gave a confused look. As she approached her window and listened more closely, Ann could make out more instruments in the background...

The soothing foundations of a keyboard playing…

The rhythmic, gentle beating of drums…

The assuring tones of a bass guitar…

The harmonious unity of vocals…

And the words of a girl singing out a gentle melody, yet empowering melody…

 _An empty house, a dusty room_  
_A photograph of me and you_  
_A song of hope in your ear  
_ _Your smile told me that you could hear_

Ann reached to her window and opened them out, leaning to look down into the streets. She held her hand to her mouth, shocked to see her all her friends playing live music right below her balcony. The same ensemble they had formed for their band at the Tokyo Music Festival back in August was present right before her. Everyone was there – including Ryuji on drums, Yusuke on bass, Haru on keyboards, Makoto on back-up, Kasumi singing the lead vocals, Futaba maintaining their portable sound system…

And most importantly, Ren in the middle of the group as he played on the acoustic guitar.

"W-W-What… Ren? B-But….oh my goodness." Ann was in completely shock. What was Ren suddenly doing here all of a sudden? He never bothered calling or texting her for the past couple days, yet he was suddenly here in the flesh? A spiral of emotions overcame Ann – confusion, anxiety, joy, excitement.

"Sweet creeeeepe! Uhm… I believe your friends are outside." Mr. Takamaki called out to her from downstairs. "

Ann rushed out of her bedroom and made her way downstairs, not even taking a moment to put on any slippers as she barged out her front doors in only her pyjamas and socks. She stopped in front of her friends and took a moment to listen to their playing – their instruments sounding unified and harmonious just like a couple months ago.

Kasumi continued singing with emotions – expressing the emotions of what Ren was feeling through the song he had chosen.

 _Every part of me misses every part of you_  
_And with all the chaos in my world_  
_I could really use your words  
_ _And every part of me wishes_

Ren slowly walked over to Ann as he continued strumming on his guitar. Taking over from Kasumi's verse, Ren sang the chorus of the song as he expressed his feelings to Ann with his relaxing, baritone vocals.

 _That you could make me see different_  
_Through all the heartache, all the hurt  
_ _I could really use your words right now_

"Ren…" Ann was at a loss of words this very moment. She could feel her heart flutter at the romantic gesture expressed by Ren. Yet she was unable to say anything.

"Ann, I'm sorry for everything I had put you through." Ren spoke, lowering his guitar down as their friends continued playing in the background. He looked down for a moment, taking his time to figure out the words to his apology. "Recently, I've been used to just running away from my problems, hoping that they would fix things themselves. With our relationship – I thought that hiding the truth about us from my parents was the right thing to do. But now I realize that it was only delaying the inevitable revelation. And because of that..."

Ren paused as he attempted to maintain his composure. His hands clenched at both sides.

"Hey… What happened?" Ann spoke up, sensing the pain Ren was currently going through. She gently walked over to him and grasped one of his hands, rubbing it soothingly. "Please… You can tell me anything. You don't have to hide the truth from me, Ren."

"My… My parents found out about us. And we had a fight last night. My father… ended up disowning me." Ren confessed.

Ann's eyes widened open in shock. She covered her mouth with her free hand as she gasped in horror.

"I… I can't blame them all for this. Like I said, it was my fault for hiding everything from them for so long. The longer I hid the truth, the greater the consequences became." Ren confessed further. "But this is because of my fear. I… I didn't know what to do... But I knew immediately that I couldn't cope with this by myself."

Ren began to sniffle as he attempted to hold back tears. His expression of sorrow was soon remedied by the comfort of Ann's hand as she gently caressed Ren's cheek.

"I'm sorry Ann… My lack of honesty ended up hurting everyone close to me… especially you." Ren began to sob out. "I understand that you wanted to hide the truth of what you accidentally did with Tatsuya-san to protect me. And I blamed you for that. But I've been such a huge hypocrite myself. And now I'm paying for the consequences."

"Ren… Please… Don't be so hard on yourself." Ann comforted him, continuing to caress Ren's cheek as tears flowed down his face.

"I just realize how much I've taken you for granted... How much I've missed you… I don't… want to lose you too." Ren confessed.

"I missed you so much, babe. And it really hurts me to see you so broken like this, too." Ann confessed. She did her best to hold back her own tears, otherwise they'd both be slobbering messes on the street.

Ann closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She noted how lonely Ren was currently feeling being abandoned by his own parents – a similar feeling she felt with her own, albeit under different circumstances. Right now, Ren needed a shoulder for comfort.

She began absentmindedly fiddling around with her silver half-heart necklace, then looked over to Ren's other golden half around his necklace.

These two broken souls on the streets – now back together again. Even if the world around them seemed to crumble, faith would bring their spirits back to each other. Their broken hearts would come and mold together as one in a process of healing.

"Please, Ren…. Stop crying, I'm here for you." Ann assured him.

Taking initiative, Ann grasped Ren's chin and leaned herself forward, locking her lips onto his. Ren immediately felt a sense of peace from her gesture and lost himself in the kiss as well. Both souls having gone through so much turmoil and destruction around their personal lives – now able to be honest with each other and show their genuine care and affection for one another.

They could move on from these events – and move forward towards these obstacles together. Their underlying love through these troubling times was what made their bond so strong.

"Everything will be okay, Ren. I believe in that." Ann expressed, taking a moment to break away from their kiss. "You're never alone, okay? I'm here for you. If others don't accept you for who you are – even your parents, please know that I love you for all your perfections  _and_ all your flaws. None of us in this world are perfect."

Ann took a moment to look down, finding herself blush as she realized a new revelation in her own heart. She decided to confess the truth right to Ren.

"But you  _are_  perfect to me, babe."

"Ann… Ann Takamaki." Ren was at a complete loss of words. To imagine that this girl he had met months ago – one that he had broken her heart countless times – seemed to have accepted his flaws and problems and continued loving him for his imperfections. To forgive him took so much strength from the heart. And in addition, Ann was not afraid to be honest with her feelings for him.

"Please, Ann… Stay by my side." Ren asked through his tears.

"I promise." Ann affirmed.

The couple embraced into another hug. Reconciliation now filled their relationship as they moved on from their issues of the past and assured each other of their support in the journey ahead.

"Whoooooooohooooo! Figured y'all would make up!" Futaba exclaimed, stretching her arms out in victory. "Hmph, to be honest, it was a  _lot_  faster than I had estimated."

"Futaba! What a way to ruin the mood!" Kasumi rolled her eyes.

"I'm just so delighted that Ren and Ann are back together!" Haru congratulated the pair, giving them a small applause herself.

"This truly was an artful way to apologize to each other. It's like a painting of restoration that came to life right in front of our eyes." Yusuke commented, using his fingers as a picture frame and scoped Ren and Ann in the middle of his sight.

"As always, love seems to always prevail with you two!" Makoto added in.

"Awesome! The power couple are now back in business!" Ryuji walked over to Ren and Ann and joyfully wrapped his arms around the both of them. "And even better, now everything is normal between the three of us too! Hell yeah, this is great!"

"Wait, you two made up?" Ann asked. Ren and Ryuji nodded to her, causing her to sigh in relief. "Oh thank goodness! Please promise me that there will be no more unnecessary drama between the three of us anymore."

"Promise!" Ren and Ryuji exclaimed in unison.

Ren, Ryuji and Ann got into a group hug as a sense of peace overcame their hearts. No more underlying drama between them anymore as they promised to look out for each other from now on. The three had persevered through many trials in the past, especially during the tenure as the original Phantom Thieves. First overcoming the troubles of being outcasts, then the dangers of the supernatural elements of Mementos and cognitions – now their bond strengthened as they now overcame this emotional roller coaster between their relationship.

"Sweet creeeepe! Come over here please! Oh, and bring Ren along here as well." Mr. Takamaki's voice suddenly echoed out from their front door entrance.

"Uh oh… Am I in trouble again?" Ren asked.

"Don't worry, I can handle them this time. Come!" Ann grabbed Ren's arm as they both met up with her parents at the front entrance to their home. The couple faced Ann's parents as they awaited on their comments.

"Amamiya-san… what brings you over to our home on this random occasion?" Mr. Takamaki asked, crossing his arms.

"I understand that it is also the weekend, but you live in Kyoto right? Why are you so far away from home?" Mrs. Takamaki brought up.

"Mom, Dad – Ren's been having a few issues with his parents recently. So he decided to take a break and come to Tokyo for a little while." Ann explained, much to Ren's surprise at how quickly she was honest about his situation.

"Ohh… I see. If I may ask, what kind of issues?" Mrs. Takamaki asked with concern.

Ren looked over to Ann and gave her an assuring nod. With confidence now to tell the truth without holding back, Ren managed to explain his situation to Ann's parents.

"Takamaki-sans, I have to be honest with you. My parents never approved me of dating your daughter – believing that she wasn't the right choice for me in terms of her passions. I disagreed with them and we… had a falling out." Ren explained.

Ann took a moment to squeeze Ren's hand, confirming her support for him.

"To be honest, they always desired me to finish school first before dating, but I rebelled against them and it led me to this situation, which I take full responsibility of," Ren continued. "But I plan on fixing my bond with them soon. But please understand about my feelings for Ann. I've learned that being honest and upfront is an important foundation on relationships. And now I feel like it's my turn to be honest with you."

Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki looked at each other, intrigued on what Ren had to say to them.

"I may not fully know my calling in this world, nor am I completely set on a path of my own. But one thing that I  _do_  know is of my passion towards Ann." Ren said with confidence. "You asked me on what I plan on doing for my life – and I can assure you that I plan on being by Ann's side for as long as I can. To give her  _joy_  everyday, to provide  _service_  in her times of need, to be  _kind_ towards her gentle heart, to be  _loyal_ to her through the toughest of challenges we face, to give her the  _honesty_ that she deserves..."

As Ren continued standing up for his dedication to Ann, Morgana stood with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. He watched proudly as Ren named off the traits that he would uphold in his relationship with Ann – the same traits that Morgana learned himself through his mission in the Spirit Palace.

"Good going Ren – finally learning how to be in a real relationship." Morgana commented to himself.

At the same time, Kasumi looked down towards Morgana, raising an eyebrow – as if a discovery came to her mind.

Ren continued vouching for his relationship with Ann to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki stood silently as they took in Ren's speech about his everything that he and Ann had been through the last recent months and how he's gradually learning from his mistakes. The rest of his friends listened as they commented on Ren's dedication.

"Geez – he's really going off about his love for Ann, huh?" Ryuji whispered over to Makoto.

"He's fighting for their bond." Makoto commented back. "Although, I've only heard from second-hand experiences, the approval of your special one's parents can be the hardest challenge to overcome."

"Yet, even after  _every_  trouble he's faced in the past few months – Ren is  _still_  able to stand up for his love for Ann." Haru added, holding a hand to her own heart. "A girl could only dream for a man to fight for him like Ren does."

"Ehh… All I ever dream of is jumping into a hot pool of yakisoba and building one of the  _grandest_ gaming computers ever!" Futaba exclaimed to herself. She nudged over to Kasumi. "What about you, Kasumi? What's your dream that you wish came true?"

"Oh… Uhm, don't know…" Kasumi replied with uncertainty. In reality she hadn't heard Futaba's question.

Instead, Kasumi continued to focus on Morgana.

After listening to Ren's entire speech about his relationship with Ann, Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki looked over to each other before giving their own remarks.

"Amamiya-san, did our sweet crepe ever tell you about how her mother and I met?" Mr. Takamaki asked.

"Uhm…  _sweet crepe_?" Ren asked in confusion.

"Oh… uhh, it's just a cute nickname they gave me." Ann whispered to Ren.

"I'll be honest with you, Amamiya-san… I may have been a bit of a hypocrite towards you when it came to dating my daughter," Mr. Takamaki expressed, looking up to the starry night sky as he reflected his own love life. "The stars have looked down upon my own troubles regarding my personal relationship years ago – and today, those stars have witnessed the strong love you exhibited for our daughter."

Mrs. Takamaki smiled as she wrapped her hand into her husband's. "So dear, are you going to perhaps tell Amamiya-san about how we came together?"

"It's only fair of me – seeing as how honest the young boy has been with us recently." Mr. Takamaki stated. He opened the door and motioned for the couple to follow him inside.

Ren and Ann looked at each other in confusion, wondering where Mr. Takamaki was leading up to. The duo turned around to their friends as they all gave them an approving thumbs-up.

"What do you say? You ready to finally hear the truth about my parents?" Ann asked.

Ren nodded. He was intrigued to this sudden openness that Ann's parents showed.

The rest of their friends watched as Ren and Ann made their way inside the Takamaki's household – a long discussion definitely to ensue within the oncoming hour.

"Let's hope that they'll be able to fix everything moving forward." Yusuke commented to others.

"Yeah, but I'm glad to see that everything is working out between them." Ryuji expressed in gratitude. In addition, he was also pleased that the drama between him, Ren and Ann was now behind them as well. Ryuji felt his stomach grumble, realizing that he hadn't eaten any dinner yet. "Damn… I'm starving. Y'all wanna grab some grub to eat?"

"Certainly! I am particularly down for some ramen." Haru answered.

"Sweet! Now you're talking my language, Haru!"

As the rest of their friends began their way towards the closest ramen shop around them, Morgana and Kasumi continued staring over to the Takamaki residence, both deep in thought as they reflected on the recent events that transpired.

"Mweheheh… Seems like everything is back to normal for our group." Morgana stated to himself in a pleasing manner. Although, he was slightly annoyed that Ren left him behind once again. But this would come at an appropriate cost of finally fixing issues between him and Ann's parents. "Hmph… we've still got the issue with Ren's parents to deal with. Maybe I should slow down though. It's best to take down one problem at a time."

"Yeah… We don't want to rush things, do we Morgana?" Kasumi suddenly replied to him.

Morgana and Kasumi both looked at each other - both realizing the conversation happening between them.

"W-Wait… Kasumi, did you just understand what I said?" Morgana gasped.

"Uh… uhmm…. N-N-Noooo! Of course not!" Kasumi stuttered, attempting to play dumb. "I mean… Awwwwh, a talking cat! I mean,  _meowing_ cat! Totally not talking at all! Eheheheh..."

"What the heck, Kasumi, stop playing around! Tell me the truth! Do you understand me or not?" Morgana growled at her.

"Y-Yes…. I do." Kasumi confessed, much to Morgana's shock as he felt the fur on his body stick up in surprise. "I'll be honest… I know that you have been able to talk for awhile, Mona-chan."

"WHAT! W-Wait… how long have you known?" Morgana demanded.

Before Morgana could receive an answer, the familiar blue velvet room door appeared from thin air in front of Morgana and Kasumi, both caught by surprise as they jumped backwards. From the other side, Justine immediately kicked down the door and demanded the two to follow her.

"Mona-chan! I've sensed the presence of the Shadow enemy in the Spirit Palace!" Justine informed them. She suddenly pointed over to Kasumi. "Please! We need your assistance! Your Persona powers will be beneficial in helping us win this battle!"

"W-WHAT!?" Morgana and Kasumi yelped in unison.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sol property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	22. Awakening of Anguish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana's team grows with the addition of Kasumi. Ren learns the foundation of the Takamaki's marriage."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Welcome back, fellow reader! It's been about a month since I've updated this fic, and I do apologize for quite the delay. Been busy with life as of recent with many events happening one day with another coming 'round the corner, but my dedication for this story hasn't disappeared! To be honest, I've been working behind the scenes on a different project for another fandom I'm dedicated to - which is going to be my next long-fic project. If you're aware of my previous works, you may have some idea on which characters I'll be writing about in the near future.
> 
> Anyway, so much awesome news has come out for Persona recently - specifically Persona 5 Scramble! Who knew there would be so much new content and gameplay, as well as realizing that it would be a SEQUEL to vanilla Persona 5? I'm super hyped for this game and can't wait to see the new adventures of the Phantom Thieves! But for now, we've got Royal coming out in Japan next week - which is good timing for this chapter as it also has quite the emphasis on Kasumi joining Morgana and the team as they continue their mission to protect Ren and Ann's bond.
> 
> I'm hoping to resume to weekly updates with this story - as I have a definite ending in mind already and plan on finishing it by the 30 chapter mark. It's just finding the time to writing down the content that seems to be the biggest obstacle thus far! No worries though, I do plan on finishing this story by the end of 2019.
> 
> Anyways, without further ado - let's get on back to the journey!

 

 **P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 22: AWAKENING OF ANGUISH**

* * *

 **\- The Spirit Palace -  
** **Entrance**

Kasumi stared in bewilderment as she faced the mysterious palace now in front of her. The rest of Morgana's Persona team joined the duo as Justine brought them over for their next mission regarding the new Shadow enemy they made. At the moment, however - they all brought their attention to the new girl with potential Persona powers.

" _Bark! Bark!"_ Korumaru greeted Kasumi.

"WAAH!" Kasumi yelped as she jumped back in fear.

"Korumaru, heel boy." Ken requested. He walked over to Kasumi, raising a hand to greet her. "Sorry, he gets excited sometimes when he meets someone new. My name is Ken Amada, by the way."

"Ohh… yeah, I kinda know you. You're the boyfriend of Ann's friend, if I am correct?" Kasumi replied, shaking Ken's hand back as she recalled seeing him at the Tokyo Music Festival a couple times back in August.

"Hey! I remember you! You're the super talented singer with Ren and their band!" Rise joined their conversation, excited to personally meet Kasumi knowing full knowledge of the girl's singing abilities. "You even danced the night before the singing competition too! Oh my gossssh! I just love meeting new people who can dance and sing!"

"Oh, please… It's nothing special, heheh. I simply learned to sing and dance as hobbies while growing up." Kasumi humbled herself.

"Hmm… Do you happen to know anyone by the name of Mitsuru Kirijo?" Yukari asked as she joined the others, raising a brow as she closely inspected Kasumi – more specifically, focusing on her long, red hair tied by a fashionable red ribbon.

"Who the heck is she?" Kasumi replied with a confused look.

"Come on, Yukari. Just because she has red hair like Mitsuru, doesn't mean she's related to her in anyway." Ken groaned as he slapped his forehead in second-hand embarrassment.

"Alright, can we take a moment to catch up later and focus on our mission?" Morgana reminded his team. His patience began to get tested as he stressed over the fact that the Shadow enemy had returned. He walked over to Kasumi and began to demand answers from her. "Okay girl, you've got a  _lot_ of explaining to do – especially with how you figured out that  _I_ can talk in the real world!"

"Huh – wait, Morgana? Is that you?" Kasumi gasped as she crouched down to inspect Morgana in his Metaverse form. Without thinking, she began to poke Morgana on the head to see if he was even real. "Wow, you look different. Your head is so… big."

"Hmph! Why thank you! I'll take that as a compliment of my  _very_ expansive brain!" Morgana crossed his arms in pride.

"Or the  _huge_  ego that he perceives in his mind." Yukari commented over to Ken, causing a small chuckle from him.

"Hey! Shuddap you two! I'm interrogating!" Morgana yelled over to them. He brought his immediate attention back to Kasumi. "So… start explaining! How'd you figure out that I could talk?"

"Well, I'll be honest. I started seeing signs between you and Ren the first time I had met you guys at Cafe Leblanc. But the most obvious one was when we were at the Medical University Hospital in Tokyo after Ryuji's accident between him and Ren." Kasumi recalled, picturing the memory in her mind. "I was sitting back in the waiting room with Ann and Futaba when you suddenly walked away and I heard an unfamiliar voice emit around you. I seriously thought I was crazy at the time."

Morgana took a moment to recall the memory himself…

…

" _Futaba.. I'll be right back, just need to sort out a couple things..." Morgana assured. Futaba simply nodded as she watched Morgana hop from his seat and made his way out of the waiting room – heading over to the Spirit Palace by the request of Justine._

" _Morgana…?" Kasumi gave a confused look – watching as Morgana left. "Hmm.. I must be imagining things..."_

…

"Okay, but that  _still_  doesn't explain how you gained the cognition of me having the ability to talk." Morgana informed Kasumi. "Did anyone ever tell you? Have you ever been to the Metaverse at all? And what's this idea of you having a Persona power? Explain now!"

"Uh… uhm, I don't know how to answer any of that. It just happened." Kasumi did her best to reply as she was bombarded by Morgana's outlandish question. All this was too much for her to process. This sudden change in environment as they jumped from outside of Ann's home to a floating palace in the middle of nowhere only confused her even more.

"Morgana, I'm sure we will learn the truth of Kasumi later on, but as you said before – we must focus on our mission to subdue the Shadow enemy." Justine reminded them. She had brought the Persona team together once more after sensing the Shadow reappear in the palace. The last time they had encountered it was after defeating Ryuji's Shadow self – which resulted in Captain Kidd to reveal its identity as the current enemy created from the Shadow remnants left behind from their previous battles.

"Right… We'll figure out this mystery later." Morgana nodded. He turned back over to Kasumi. "Okay – so what's your Persona? Justine mentioned that you had one, right?"

"Persona? What's that?" Kasumi asked, confusion setting in her mind again.

"Grrgh… Why did you even bring her here knowing that she was unable to call out her Persona right now?" Morgana argued over to Justine. "She's going to be dead weight if we bring her with us into the palace."

"Morgana! Can you be a little mindful of Kasumi's feelings?" Rise asked him. "The poor girl's suddenly transported somewhere she doesn't know. That's in addition with all this information that's changing her perception of reality. Of course she's going to be overwhelmed at first."

"Right. Even if she doesn't know her Persona yet – or why she suddenly understands you Morgana, I  _do_ sense a power within her." Ken brought up.

" _Bark! Bark!"_ Korumaru agreed with Ken.

"Even from the Spirit Palace and my pocket space within the Velvet Room – I sensed a potential in Kasumi while I observed you in the real world." Justine explained. "Her potential powers are ones that could help us defeat the Shadow in the palace and maintain harmony within the  _Trickster_  and  _Lover's_  bond."

Morgana figured that his team was right. His lack of a strong bond with Kasumi clouded his judgement to be open to her potential. Maybe there had been a whole reason he and Ren had gotten the chance to bond with Kasumi since the beginning of July.

Whatever it was, there was reason for Kasumi standing with them right now.

"Okay Kasumi, you'll be coming with us. But I want you to remain in the centre of our group for your protection." Morgana directed her. "I'll explain more of what's going on once we deal with the Shadow."

"Got it." Kasumi nodded. For whatever reason, she immediately trusted Morgana's leadership – along with accepting the entire revelation of the Spirit Palace and these Persona powers now brought to her attention.

Morgana's group headed into the Spirit Palace – following Rise's navigation as she directed them to the whereabouts of the Shadow. Justine had warned them that she felt a much stronger energy from it since their last encounter. Their current objective was to corner and defeat it in order for Morgana to obtain the _Spirit Attribute of Honesty_  that he wasn't able to to gather due to the Shadow fleeing from them in their last encounter.

"I sense it in library again!" Rise informed their group.

"Interesting, that was where Shadow Caroline was located last time, right" Ken brought up. "Why would it be in that same spot again?"

"Guess we'll find out." Morgana replied, leading the group to their destination. As they traversed through the palace, he turned over to Justine and noted her saddened expression once more, being reminded of her twin sister's death. Morgana remembered their priorities of this mission. Other than to protect Ren and Ann's bond, they also needed to power up the Spirit Amulet in order to revive Caroline's life force.

The group returned to the Palace's library, still retaining its messy state from their battle with Shadow Caroline. In the middle of the room, the group noted a figure standing by their lonesome – they currently covered themselves in a black, ominous robe with the hood covering their face.

"Huh…  _creepy_." Yukari whispered to the group.

"I'm getting some weird  _Organization XIII_  vibes from this person." Ken commented.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Yukari gave a confused look to him.

"Uhh… It's from a video game." Ken tried to explain. "It's a long story. Like…  _really_  long."

"Please quiet down and remain cautious," Justine told them. "I am sensing elevated power levels from the Shadow enemy. They appear to be much stronger than last time."

"Wait, that's the same Shadow enemy that got away last time?" Morgana asked. He took a moment to inspect the figure as they slowly approached it. The shadow enemy appeared to have obtained new abilities since their last encounter – including the skill to transform its outward appearance. Morgana began to worry, wondering what other powers it gathered.

"Shadows? Power levels? Organization XII? None of this is sounding really comforting right now." Kasumi whispered. She crossed her arms around her own body in a defensive manner while keeping her head lowered in uncertainty.

"Don't worry, we'll be here to protect you. Just stay by my side, alright?" Rise comforted Kasumi as she patted her on the shoulder.

As the group approached the lone Shadow figure, a purple aura began to emit around it. Suddenly, it began to talk with its distorted voice.  _ **"The bond between thy Trickster and his Lover. It sickens me to see them together. It absolutely despise the relationship that they have within the realm of reality."**_

"Ughh… This talk again? What's up with you and your immense hatred towards them? They're just trying to live out their bond in peace!" Morgana angrily said to the Shadow.

"Trickster and Lover? Are they talking about Ren and Ann?" Kasumi commented, managing to figure out the code the Shadow was talking about. "What's going on? Are Ren and Ann related to all of this?"

"We'll explain later, Kasumi. Just let us handle things for the mean time." Rise reassured her.

"You must listen to reason." Ken attempted to talk over to the Shadow. "We understand how you've been born out of negativity. Your very existence was made only possible by our interference in this Palace and our curiosity to understand these supposed Spirit and Shadow attributes. But we can help you see the positives in relationships."

"I see, trying to play nice in order to get into the enemy's mind. Good going, Ken!" Yukari praised him.

" _ **I have no reason to understand your Spirit attributes. My only purpose is to rip away the connection between your beloved couple."**_ the Shadow affirmed itself. It clenched their fists from both sides.  _ **"And it seems that no matter how much of my energy I use to influence their feelings – even in their own personal circles, they still manage to push through and remain together. How sickening."**_

"You talk as if this is  _so_ personal for you!" Morgana argued back. "And how dare you bring in their friends and family into this matter! It's as if you truly despise their relationship that you want to rip apart their  _entire_ lives! You  _are_  the embodiment of hate!"

"Be wary of your emotions, Morgana. Remember that this Shadow is able to influence emotions with its negative attributes."Justine reminded him. "

"But how is it able to reach out its powers into reality? I thought that locking away these Shadow attributes bound its presence into this very palace?" Ken asked as he attempted to wrap this conundrum around his head.

"Doesn't matter! It's our job as Persona users to keep these evil powers in check." Yukari said with determination.

" _ **Yes – it is true that I have been working in the background and influencing your friend's emotions, as well as their relationships close to them."**_ the Shadow began explaining as they slowly strolled towards the group. " _ **The jealous rival – Mika, the troubled mechanic – Tatsuya, the hot-headed boy – Ryuji, the uptight parents of Amamiya-san. Even your former team member – Caroline. All of their actions were influenced by my doing!"**_

"I see! So you were the one behind making Ren's parents disown him!" Morgana blurted out. Deep down, he knew that Ren's parents were acting more aggressive than usual.

This instant, Morgana understood that they needed to get rid of the Shadow enemy once and for all.

"Caroline… My sister." Justine suddenly felt a wave of anguish overcome her soul. She lost her will to stand as she fell to her knees, dropping her clipboard as she felt the heavy burden weigh her down. "She's dead… And… I'll never see her again."

"Huh? Justine! Are you okay?" Yukari asked, rushing over to her side as she attempted to help her out. Justine waved off Yukari's help as she continued wallowing in her sudden depressed mood.

"Something's not right with her spirit." Rise acknowledged, using her Persona's powers to figure out Justine's condition. "It's as if some sort of negative energy is overwhelming her. Like memories of her troubles exploding into her mind that she can't handle bearing."

"Come on, Justine! Snap out of this despair! We've got your back! We'll help you revive Caroline-" Yukari attempted to comfort.

Suddenly, anguish overwhelmed Yukari's mind as emotions and memories that she hid away long ago began to resurface.

"Minato… Minato. No… it's… it's not fair what happened to you." Yukari suddenly began to tear up, dropping her weapon as she began to wallow in her own despaired feelings. "Why did you have to go… Why couldn't you have lived on… Like the rest of us."

"Yukari? Hey! Snap out of it! What's going on with you?" Ken immediately noticed her mentions of their former friend. Before Ken could help her, he suddenly fell onto his own knees as pained memories resurfaced in his own mind.

"Mom… Mom. I miss you so much mom. It's not fair!" Ken slammed his fists into the ground as hostility filled his spirit. "Why! I don't care if it was an accident or not – it's not fair that I had to grow up without you in my life! It's all bullshit!"

Korumaru began to whimper – feeling the same effects as Ken. He began to lay down beside his owner as they both endured the same negative feelings.

"What the- Yukari? Ken? Justine? What's going on with all of them?" Rise stepped back in confusion, watching as each of her comrades succumbed to the sudden negative emotions weighing down on their spirits.

Suddenly, Rise felt a looming rush of deceit attack her heart as she began to question her own identity.

"Who am I really… Have I been lying to myself the entire time? What's the point with being in show business if I don't even know who the  _real_ me is? I'm just lying to myself!" Rise began to cry out. She began hearing the whispers of many voices sounding like hers in her own head, ominously repeating the phrase:

" _I DON'T KNOW WHO THE REAL ME IS."_

Overwhelmed by these voices, Rise fell to her knees as she began to cry, holding tightly to her head as she cried out for the voices to stop.

"No… They've all fallen into despair." Morgana voiced in concern, watching as his teammates continued to cry out in distress as memories they hid away resurfaced, admonishing their will to fight. He immediately realized where this influence was coming from. Morgana turned over to the Shadow and noticed that their hands were held out open towards the group as a wave of shadow energy emitted from their palms.

" _ **Depression, Hinderance, Deception, Hostility and Unfaithfulness. No one is exempted from these Shadow attributes. And I will use them to rid of your friend's bonds and will."**_ the Shadow enemy threatened Morgana.

"How dare you! Ugggh-" Morgana screamed, suddenly feeling the weight of his own burdens overcome his mind. Memories of his own personal despair began to resurface. Feelings of inadequacies among the Phantom Thieves. His own confusion of having amnesia and feeling lost all the time. Depression and heartbreak in realizing that Lady Ann would never be his any more.

 _No…. You can't let these negative memories control you anymore._ Morgana struggled to fight back. But the burden was too much for his own mind to overcome. He joined along the others as they were incapacitated on the floor.

"W-what's happening?" Kasumi stuttered in fear, unable to do anything as she could only watch the Persona users fall into their own melancholic memories.

Suddenly, Kasumi began to feel the same effects from the Shadow's influence. Kasumi's head started to throb uncontrollably, causing her to yell in pain as she held her head in an attempt to cope with the torturous act.

"Nooo! Leave her alone! She hasn't done anything to deserve this!" Morgana pleaded with the Shadow enemy, watching as Kasumi began to cry out.

Memories of Kasumi's own despair rushed into her mind. Her heartbreak in the realization of her parent's divorce... The initial loneliness she felt being transferred to Shujin Academy… The constant pressure she felt in upholding her status as a talented gymnast, singer and dancer...

None of these choices were by the will of Kasumi's wishes. Her own heart began to throb in pain as the Shadow began to exemplify these thoughts to the point of torturing Kasumi's mind.

"Nooo…. Not like this." Morgana groaned. He looked over to his entire Persona team, realizing that they stood no chance overcoming these new powers exhibited by the Shadow enemy. They all had fallen and succumbed to their past pains and now were trapped in their own desperations.

How were they going to stand up against this battle?

"Come on… I have this stupid trinket around my neck for a reason. I need… To use it." Morgana said with all his might as he struggled to utilize his Spirit Amulet. Between his painful thoughts, Morgana remembered the powers gained throughout his journey in the palace.

 _Joy… Service… Loyalty… Kindness…_   _Honesty._

Not only were they knowledge of a relationship, but possibilities of positive actions.

If the Shadow wanted to abuse its power through the influence of negativity – then Morgana would fight back with his newfound knowledge of uplifting!

"Whatever happens, I vowed to protect Ren and Ann's bond… Please, give us the power to fight back and protect!" Morgana yelled to the amulet.

Suddenly, the amulet's stones began to flash as their powers began to activate. Morgana felt a resurgence of energy within him. A voice began to speak in his mind, pushing him to uplift his friends. Turning over to his fallen comrades, Morgana took attention to one specific teammate and encouraged them in their time of stress.

Morgana began to speak with strong belief from his heart...

"Kasumi… You've been a girl of hurt throughout your life. Through your childhood, you've felt alone and scared. The privilege of having both parents happy in your life was selfishly taken away from you as you had to grow up with so much pressure. But you strived to become independent. And deep down, you desire to keep others together. To be a light shedding through their darkness!

"Grrrggh…. My life… It's been full of consequences out of my control..." Kasumi sobbed out, the pain still surging through her head.

"Well, it's time for you to stand up and become a positive influence towards others!" Morgana demanded. "Your own wishes may not have come true early on in your life, but you've shown that you can take destiny into your hands and become independent!"

" _ **He's right, Yoshizawa-san."**_ the voice of a woman suddenly echoed into Kasumi's mind.  _ **"This unfairness has taken your life and molded it into a mess. But you chose not to conform and instead take reign to your own path of success. Why must you wallow in your troubled circumstances?"**_

"Uggghhh… Wh-What do I do…?" Kasumi cried out.

" _ **Be an influence. Exhibit your strong-will and independent spirit to others who have been through turmoil or are currently going through pain. Show them that their wishes and desires can become reality!"**_

"Be an influence…. Show them the light… You're right." Kasumi suddenly calmed down as the pain in her head went away. A new resolve sinking into her heart.

Suddenly, Kasumi's entire body began to cover itself in a white glow of light. Newfound strength filled her body as power awakened itself. Kasumi felt the desire to stand up against unfair circumstances brought up her life and share those experiences to others suffering through their own problems.

"Come forth and present your light –  **Cendrillon!** " Kasumi shouted.

A blaze of blue fire encircled around her as her appearance transformed. Kasumi posed in a heroic manner – now sporting an outfit consisting of a strapless black leotard, a chain belt with a rapier hold, a black bolero jacket with gold buttons, red gloves, thigh-length stiletto-heeled boots and a black ribbon tied in her ponytail to finish off her look.

"What the heck… what's with the outfit change?!" Yukari exclaimed in awe. She along with the others were taken out of their desperate trances as their attention focused on Kasumi's sudden transformation.

"Oh my… There's suddenly a spike of power emitting around her." Rise noted.

"Look! What's that figure appearing over her?" Ken pointed above Kasumi.

Floating in the air was a shining blue figure – with parts of its lower body made out of sapphire-like crystals, a gold crown-esque gown, white angelic wings sprouting from its back and a sleek, dark upper body with a blue ribbon wrapped around it's head.

" _ **I am Cendrillon – bringer of wishes and healer of despair.**_ " the figure spoke.

"No way… That's Kasumi's Persona?" Morgana announced in surprise.

"You dare try and diminish the bond of our friends. I  _won't_ allow you to wreck any more havoc among them!" Kasumi proclaimed. She immediately took out her weapon from her side – a sharp, metallic rapier – and pointed it towards the Shadow enemy. "Now! Time for you to vanish!"

Kasumi fired a determined  _Kougaon_ attack towards the enemy, commanding her Persona to shoot a powerful beam of light at the Shadow. The attack connected as the cloaked figure flew backwards, slamming their back against a shelf of books, causing the entire piece of furniture to fall down.

"Come on guys! Let's show this Shadow the consequences of messing with our reality." Kasumi encouraged, using her Personas abilities to immediately heal them from their infliction of despair.

"Geez! Kasumi  _literally_  just awakened and is knocking it out of the park with her persona abilities!" Morgana exclaimed, having recovered from his torment. Her powers seemed to have a strong effect on the others as they managed to stand up and move past the painful memories brought onto them by their Shadow nemesis.

"Yeeeess! A new Persona user!" Yukari jumped in excitement, joining alongside Kasumi as she summoned Isis.

"Alright! We've got even  _more_ firepower on our side." Ken joined, summoning Kala-Nemi.

"Thanks so much for the boost, Kasumi! We sure owe you one." Rise thanked, lining up with the others as she summoned Kouzeon.

"You've saved us from our despair. As I predicted – your Persona abilities have come quite handy in our current battle." Justine spoke as she nodded over to Kasumi.

"Bark! Bark!" Korumaru hopped by them as he summoned Cerberus.

"Hoo boy! I'm really feeling the fighting spirit from all of them!" Morgana said with sheer enthusiasm, enthralled by the sight of all the Persona users lined up together – Justine, Yukari Takeba, Ken Amada, Rise Kujikawa, Korumaru – and now Kasumi Yoshizawa strengthened their team. He quickly summoned his Persona – Mercurius, and motioned the group over to the fallen Shadow. "Now! Don't hold back! Let's finish off this cloaked freak and get out of here!"

"Right!" the Spirit Guardians shouted in unison.

The group commanded their strongest abilities from their Personas and directed them towards the cloaked Shadow. The combined Persona powers meshed together to form one gigantic beam and made contact with their target. The figure screamed as it waved their hands up in the air in self-defense, being engulfed by the beam of light. The Spirit Guardians finished up their attack and looked over to the aftermath.

"Are they… gone?" Yukari asked.

"Scans show no signs of the Shadow figure present… I think we won!" Rise told them.

"Hahah! Go team!" Ken exclaimed, jumping into the air along with Korumaru as they celebrated. He immediately reverted to his calm demeanour. "Mhmm… anyway, it looks like they left something. Morgana, do you think we should check it out?"

"Definitely." Morgana replied. He and the group made their way over to where the Shadow had been obliterated, finding a familiar glowing orb left in place. "Mweheheh, looks like its the Spirit Attribute of Honesty! What a hassle just to get this one!"

Morgana allowed the Spirit Amulet to absorb the attribute, whilst locking away it's opposite Shadow attribute –  _Deception._  That marked down five attributes understood – leaving three remaining ones to unlock.

"Ughh… I feel exhausted." Kasumi expressed, feeling a slight headache overcoming her. Rise ended up coming to her side and ensured she was okay.

"No worries, its normal to feel like this from your first awakening." Rise assured her. She gave Kasumi an appreciative smile. "You did amazing, by the way!"

"Still…. I have  _no_ idea what's going on, or what overcame me." Kasumi moaned as she rubbed her head. What were these powers she just exhibited? And why was she suddenly so confident in her own abilities? And most of all, what was the point of this palace that they were in and why did it have any relation to Ren and Ann?

"I believe we should catch you up with everything that's been going on." Morgana replied. He suggested they talk within the safety of the Attribute room where the Spirit Amulet originally remained – which now housed the palace's treasure – Ren and Ann's bond.

As the group made their way out of the palace's library, they hadn't noticed a small portion of shadow energy remaining in the place where their Shadow nemesis originally stood. A voice emitted from the energy as it disappeared from the palace's realm.

" _ **Into reality… I must flee."**_

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Takamaki Residence** _   
_**Evening** _

Morgana and Kasumi returned to their spot outside of the Takamaki residence, not a minute had passed by in reality when they had left, thanks to the powers of the Velvet Room. The team had taken their time to explain everything to Kasumi back in the Spirit Palace – mentioning of their on-going battle within the recent months of fighting against shadows, obtaining attribute energy relating to relationships in order to power-up Morgana's amulet, and their dedication to protect Ren and Ann's relationship, both in the palace world and reality.

Surprisingly, Kasumi was able to follow along and accepted everything as is.

"Hey, just wanted to give my thanks for your help back in the palace." Morgana expressed to Kasumi. "I felt like our team would have fallen into our own despairs had you not been there to awaken us from it."

"Don't mention it! My mind is still wrapping around what just happened, but I'm glad everything is okay." Kasumi responded. She began to scratch her head. "So, I'm guessing I'm not able to say anything to anyone, right?"

"No… for now, I don't want anyone else involved. Especially our group of friends." Morgana replied. He took a moment to reflect on this decision. He knew that he had just overcome a battle to understand honesty, seeing these examples through Ren and Ann's recent personal battles, but he still didn't want his own group of friends know about this mission. Morgana desired for them to live out normal lives. Their Persona days were now in their past.

"I see. I'll respect your wishes. But my advice to you Morgana," Kasumi began, causing Morgana to perk his ears up and listen. "Let Ren and Ann know what's going on – regarding this palace you've been traversing to the entire time. It directly involves their own lives. It's only fair for them to know what's going on."

"Yeah… I'll think about it." Morgana looked down, knowing full well that Kasumi was right.

"Anyway, I'll catch up with the others. My stomach is  _really_ craving a huge bowl of some hot, soothing ramen right now!" Kasumi giggled. She waved over to Morgana before leaving. "I'll see you later for our next mission, heheh."

"Mweheheh, I'll let you know for sure!" Morgana answered, watching as Kasumi joined their other friends off in the distance.

In the meantime, Morgana continued reflecting on his entire journey in the Spirit Palace. Kasumi had brought up a good point. This entire time, he vowed to protect Ren and Ann's bond as he battled against supernatural elements that threatened their relationship. But Morgana hadn't thought about being honest with them. The duo were so confused and worried about their own personal issues from time to time.

Yet, Morgana had been hiding the fact to the initial cause of all their battles.

"I've been fighting all their spiritual battles for them, but is it my right to hide this from them?" Morgana spoke to himself. "I'm doing this to protect their relationship. But they do have the right to know what's going on. My choice to keep all these events from their knowledge would be blinding them from the entire situation. Which would be unfair to them."

Morgana took a moment to reflect on the recent attribute of Honesty, and sought clarification on his own issue through the trials he had witnessed and personally faced...

_Honesty – an important factor in any relationship. One's choice to lay down everything on the table to their partner. To be transparent in every aspect of their lives, entrusting them with the knowledge given – essentially handing over a part of their own selves to them._

_Obstacles of Honesty which Ren and Ann had faced and have now overcome – concerns with Ann hiding the truth of her unintentional sign of affection with Tatsuya which had ben exposed by Mika._

_With Ren and his relationship now out in the open to his parents – a problem that still requires remedy yes, but with its greatest obstacle of confession now overcome._

Morgana looked back down to his Spirit Amulet and recalled on his journey so far to obtain the five attributes he'd understood so far –  _Joy, Service, Loyalty, Kindness and Honesty._  There were three more left over to understand –  _Patience, Common Purpose and Love._

"They deserve to know. Maybe I should tell them." Morgana sighed out.

But how would he tell them?

Morgana began making his way over to the Takamaki's residence, remembering that Ren and Ann would have a very personal discussion with Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki as they laid out their own relationship to them – their own showcase of honesty. Curious to how their conversation was going, Morgana decided to lay low on the window sill to their dining room and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I'll repent of my actions later. But I need to know how everything is going so far." Morgana told himself as he began to listen.

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Takamaki Dining Room** _   
_**Evening** _

"The relationship between Ann's mother and I wasn't all sweet at the very beginning," Mr. Takamaki began to speak. His wife had made the four of them all tea while they gathered around the dining room table to listen to his story. Mr. Takamaki chuckled to himself. "Sweet crepe, do you remember any details at all?"

"Well… I do know that you weren't fashion designers at the start," Ann took a moment to recall from the back of her mind. "Mom was actually a model herself, while you came all the way from Finland to do an internship abroad for some company that hired you to design."

"Yes, I'm glad that you remember, sweet crepe." Mr. Takamaki said proudly. "At that point, I was helping out with designing for our group of models at the time, and your mother was in the same batch as them."

"Truth be told, I was surprised to see a man like your father back then," Mrs. Takamaki commented, taking a sip out of her fresh cup of green tea. "I've never met a man from Finland before, let alone someone who is also part American too."

"And I have to be honest, I'd never met someone so astoundingly beautiful as your mother." Mr. Takamaki smiled to his wife, both holding each other's hands as they sat beside one another.

"Eheh, don't mind my parents. They can also get cheesy as well." Ann told Ren.

"Makes sense on where you get your affection from." Ren teased, receiving a gentle elbow jab from Ann.

"Anyway, I remember the first time I encountered your mother – my Japanese wasn't the best, but I did know how to say beautiful in the language – so one day, I decided to randomly call out to your mother how beautiful she looked that day." Mr. Takamaki continued.

"It was amusing to see your father struggle with saying that one simple word." Mrs. Takamaki added in. "He sounded like a stuttering record. But fortunately for your father, I was also very fluent in my English studies."

"What a merciful act you did." Ren joked with Mrs. Takamaki, even causing Ann to giggle from his teasing.

"Nevertheless, my debonair managed to work on your mother, and fortunately we continued talking." Mr. Takamaki expressed. He began recounting the days he and Mrs. Takamaki talked during their time together in Japan – going into full details about their dates and how gradually they strengthened their relationship.

The Takamaki's eventually arrived to the point of their story they wanted to recount with Ren – how both had to hide their relationships from both their own parents.

"My father never fully approved my own career in pursuing modeling," Mrs. Takamaki expressed. "He always thought that it wasn't prolific enough – that he'd rather push me to pursue a more conservative career – ones that were considered  _normal_ in Japan at the time."

"And my parents always wanted me to date one of those fancier, extravagant women from our fashion company back home," Mr. Takamaki said. "But I guess you could say that I was bit by the love bug during my time in Japan."

"Oooooh – that's so adorable." Ann gushed over her father's comments, holding a hand to her heart.

"Bugs freak me out sometimes." Ren commented, causing Ann to gently elbow him once more.

Mr. and Mrs. Takamaki began to express their own struggles with having to hide their relationship from their parents in order to avoid backlash from them. At first it was easy when Mr. Takamaki returned to Finland as they maintained a long-distance relationship, but when the years passed, their love continued to flourish and yearned for more intimacy.

So eventually came the point when Mr. Takamaki had to express his parents of his long-distance relationship for his love back in Japan.

"Initially they were skeptical of my decision," Mr. Takamaki explained. "But I fought for my relationship with your mother. And eventually, they gave me permission to move back to Japan to be with her."

Mrs. Takamaki's battle of honesty was much more difficult. After admitting her own hidden relationship for years, her father gave a very stern lecturing regarding her life decisions and warned her to be careful of the  _foreigner_ she dated.

"As strict and serious my father's words were, I stood by my decision and continued my relationship." Mrs. Takamaki said.

"That must have been difficult for you," Ren commented. Hearing of the Takamaki's issues regarding dating who they wanted and the opinions from their own parents hit close home to Ren's situation. "How did you guys manage to cope? And did you ever find a solution with your parents?"

"Yes – we did." the Takamaki's both said in unison.

"With patience and perseverance in our relationship, as well as the support for each other – Ann' mother and I managed to gain the approval of our respective families." Mr. Takamaki assured.

"We continued focusing on ourselves, on what  _we_ wanted for ourselves and this relationship we committed to." Mrs. Takamaki said. "Your father and I were blessed with these careers in fashion designing and to go around the world to plan international shows."

"And of course – our biggest reward that we reaped from our relationship – our little sweet crepe that has deeply fallen hard for you, Ren-kun." Mr. Takamaki motioned over to the couple.

Ann blushed as she wrapped her arm around Ren's, leaning her head onto his shoulder.

"In time, our parents learned about what your father and I sacrificed. The battles we've gone through, both spiritually and emotionally." Mrs. Takamaki further explained. "Eventually, we managed to talk and they accepted our relationship – seeing how happy your father and I were in pursuing our own destinies."

"Ren-kun, I will be honest – I may have been a little harsh on you from the start." Mr. Takamaki began to confess. "I saw you as someone who didn't have much else going for you, except wanting to attach yourself to my daughter. But you've managed to impress me with your other talents exhibited from the Tokyo Summer Festival, as well as your undeniable devotion and love you've shown to our daughter for the past year when we were away. I want to apologize to you for my initial behaviour."

Ren's eyes widened in awe. Did Mr. Takamaki – the one who expressed such disapproval and frustration towards Ren, have a sudden change of heart about his relationship with Ann? He was at first in sheer disbelief from the turn of events, but grateful of the acceptance from her parents.

"Ren-kun, the whole point of us telling you this story – is to show you hope in your situation, Ren-kun.' Mrs. Takamaki explained. "Both Ann's father and I had faced the consequences in hiding the truth. But once we all laid it down for our parents – and with a little patience and forgiveness, our family accepted the love that we shared."

"Please – I understand that right now you are going through a trial with your own parents. But I can guarantee that if they truly love you, they'll learn to put aside their differences and accept your relationship with Ann that we have blessed you with." Mr. Takamaki assured Ren.

"Th-Thank you, Takamaki-sans." Ren bowed his head over to Ann's parents, trying his best not to show too much emotion. "It truly means a lot to me with having your full blessing to date your daughter. I promise - moving forward, I'll give my whole heart and dedication to her in our relationship.

"I believe in your statement, Ren-kun." Mr. Takamaki nodded to him.

For this night alone – Ann's parents were the family Ren needed right now.

"So… is it okay that Ren stays for the night here?" Ann requested. "It's Sunday tomorrow anyway, meaning that Ren wouldn't be missing a school day and get even more trouble. Plus, I think he'll need a lot more rest from all he's done today."

"Of course, sweet crepe. Ren-kun is welcome in our household anytime." Mrs. Takamaki joyfully expressed.

"Just don't get into any sort of funny business when we're gone, alright?" Mr. Takamaki joked.

"Dad! Please, chill!" Ann shook her head in defiance. What a way to ruin an emotional and heartwarming moment between their family.

Yet, for the first time ever – Ren, Ann and her parents were on the same side in terms of their relationships. Ren and Ann – now having healed from their initial trial of honesty, now gained the additional benefit of having the blessing of the Takamaki-sans as this unexpected night managed to bring out a stronger bond between the four of them.

After a few more moments of conversation, the Takamaki-sans decided to call it a night and gain some rest in order to make the most of their free time before having to travel out of the country once again for their work. They offered Ren the guest bedroom where he could sleep for the night, which he accepted with gratitude.

As Ren made his way over to the room, Ann gently grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Hey… If it's alright with you, I want you to join me tonight in my bedroom. Please?" Ann asked in a shy manner.

"Oh… uh, s-sure." Ren accepted.

Ann quietly dragged Ren into her bedroom. Previously cluttered and messy due to Ann wallowing in despair of their prior break-up, she managed to clean up the place with Shiho during her time of recovery. Ann and Ren sat on the edge of her bed, taking a moment to process the entire night's events.

"A lot happened today, huh?" Ann began, looking over to her boyfriend.

"Yeah…" Ren could only muster up. His mind still going through countless thoughts of his current predicament. He managed to rebuild his bond with Ryuji and Ann, as well as gaining the approval of the Takamaki-sans.

But the hurt and pain from his parent's the previous night still haunted Ren as he wondered how he would fix things between them

"Babe… Look at me." Ann asked gently, carefully caressing her boyfriend's cheek into her hand as she faced his head to hers. "I know that you're still feeling the trouble from your own parents. But I will be here for you. As my parents said earlier tonight – patience is important for those we love."

"I know. But why does waiting hurt so much sometimes." Ren asked.

Ann frowned, wondering how she could cheer Ren up.

"Hey, remember at the beginning of the year when you were incarcerated into juvenile hall," Ann brought up. She took a moment to reflect on her feelings at the time. "My heart ached to see your face every passing day. But I believed that we would see each other again. And that moment, months after waiting and waiting, to finally see you walk into Cafe Leblanc. To see your smiling face up close again was worth enduring every second of waiting."

Ren understood what Ann was saying to him. His current feud with his parents had put a wedge in his relationship. But from Ann's example, she had the patience to wait on Ren's release. She could have moved on – but Ann stood firmly in her dedication towards Ren – and now both could reap in the experiences of their current relationship.

Noting Ren's tired expression, Ann caressed his cheek once more.

"Babe, just rest for now." Ann advised. "For my sake – and more importantly, your own."

Ren nodded. He hadn't realized the he went almost two full days without sleep as his mind bombarded with thoughts of turmoil and anxiety. He looked around her bedroom and scratched his head. "Uhm… So do you have like an extra mattress or something? Or should I head back into the guest room?

"You know, my bed has plenty of space for the two of us." Ann giggled, already making her way underneath her sheets. She scooted over to one side and patted down onto the space for Ren to join her. "Come on. I had to wait a whole week just to talk to you again. I want to be as close to you as I can now."

"Heheh, same." Ren complied.

Ren crawled underneath Ann's sheets and joined her as they both laid comfortably close together. The two rested their heads onto the pillows, with Ren slightly lower from Ann's position.

"I've missed you, Ann." Ren whispered. For once in the past few days, his heart and mind felt at peace as he slowly drifted into sleep into Ann's embrace. He felt the beat of Ann's heart on her chest as he snuggled closely up against her body.

"i'm here for you, Ren-kun. Everything will be okay." Ann simply replied. A small smile crept over her face as she gently ran her fingers through Ren's hair, watching as her boyfriend fell into slumber. She wrapped her other hand around Ren's body as she gently hummed the melody of the song Ren had sung to serenade her moments ago.

Ann had missed the feeling of Ren being so close to her. And after a week of separation and drama in their own personal lives, Ann dedicated herself to ensure Ren would be okay during his time of need – and vowing to help him fix his bond with his parents when the time came.

She reminded herself on the days before when Ren would constantly check up on Ann, spend time with her and listen to her every day problems regarding being an outcast for her looks, her issues with Kamoshida and her struggle to support Shiho. Ren was always the shoulder Ann would lean on whenever she felt defeated – even having the confidence to embrace her when she cried from Shiho leaving.

But for tonight- Ann would be the one to comfort Ren.

"Mweheheh… Ren and Ann's bond once again triumphs the battle!" Morgana said to himself in victory, having just finished watching the entire discussion between Ren, Ann and her parents – the entire time being a quiet audience from outside.

These had been the hardest times not only for Ren and Ann, but their circle of loved ones close to them. But now, their bonds seemed to have restored themselves as the drama between Ryuji, Ren and Ann was finished, and the Takamaki's now fully accepting Ren into their family.

Regardless, there was still the case of Ren's parents… As well as the remaining Spirit Attributes to be understood and harnessed. And in terms of Morgana's own consciousness – the issue he had on the idea of confessing his own personal mission in protecting Ren and Ann's bond through the Spirit Palace.

"One problem at a time, Mona. No need to rush things." Morgana reassured himself.

As Morgana hopped down from the window sill and began making his way to join the others on their night of ramen and fellowship, he hadn't noticed the lone figure watching a distance away from him.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	23. True Influence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren and Ann team-up to deal with his parents; Morgana must face off with a familiar spirit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello fellow reader! A new week, meaning a new chapter! It's been a spectacular week with the release of Persona 5 Royal in Japan! (oooooof - if only I could live in Japan and understand the language just to be able to play it now hahah)
> 
> Haven't read anything regarding spoilers and such, as I'm being patient and waiting for the Western release in 2020. It's gonna be a super looooooooong wait, but one that will definitely be worth it.
> 
> Regardless, it's always a good time for some more Shuann content! Please enjoy this week's entry as we are are approaching the cumulating chapters of this story - as the stakes become much grander for both Morgana and Ren and Ann's relationship. Hope y'all have a good week! Cheers!

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 23: TRUE INFLUENCE**

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Takamaki Residence** _   
_**Early Morning** _

"Good morning, babe." Ann happily whispered into Ren's ear as the sun shone through her bedroom blinds.

"Mhmm..." Ren gently moaned. He scooted himself closer to Ann as he wrapped her into his arms, much to her delight as he tightly cuddled up against her body. Ren didn't feel like getting out of bed just yet. He wanted this moment of intimacy to continue for as long as he could hold onto it.

Ann smiled and returned the gesture, shifting her position to be right up against Ren's body as the two faced each other while lying in bed. She took a moment to look up to her boyfriend, seeing him remain in comfort slumber.

"Heheh… wakey wakey, sleepy head." Ann said in a soft tone, gently nudging her boyfriend. She noted how at peace Ren was in her presence, to the point where he didn't even want to move. "Heh… You  _really_ seem comfortable right now, huh babe?"

Ren didn't answer, remaining in his state of slumber with his eyes shut tight, gripping Ann within his arms.

Quickly thinking, Ann decided to lay a swift peck on his lips to see if she'd get a reaction from Ren. She giggled when he slowly began to open his eyes.

"Ohhhh, okay, so  _that_ wakes you up?" Ann teased.

"You know, I didn't realize how much I've missed your kisses until now." Ren replied, staring adoringly back into Ann's calm, teal blue eyes.

Shifting closer over to Ann, Ren swiftly locked into a kiss with her. At first, they started out with gentle, light kisses. As Ren began to break away from their intimate act, he was surprised by Ann's initiative to take her affection stronger when she gently grabbed the back of his head, rushing her fingers through his hair as she started digging into her kiss with him.

Initially surprised, Ren followed through as he increased his own movements and began to play around, grabbing Ann's body and rolling over so she was on top of him. Their movements increased to the point of throwing Ann's blanket and pillows on the bed for more room for them.

Ren and Ann took no moment to take a break. Their lips stayed connected as they moved their heads back and forth, digging into each other as the got lost into their kissing session. The days of heartbreak and loneliness due to their break-up were now left behind as they made peace and healing through their intimacy in bed. Ren and Ann had longed for one another through those days of brokenness - and now they could fully express their love for each other once again at this very moment.

Eventually, the couple took a moment to stare at each other while catching their breathes. Their movements had escalated to the point where they ended up switching positions, Ren now on top of Ann in bed.

"Uh… Was that some tongue action I felt from you?" Ren raised a brow.

"S-Sorry… I didn't know I was capable of doing that." Ann looked away for a moment in embarrassment, before gently nudging Ren in the chest. "Don't think you're the only innocent one out of the two of us! I could  _totally_  feel your hand adventuring down my back, babe."

"Heheh… We might need to relax for a bit, Ann. It's still pretty early in the morning, you know." Ren chuckled, a huge grin on his face realizing how long they had been making out in  _her own_ bed.

"Ri-Right… And it would be embarrassing to have my parents walk in on us, eheh." Ann giggled, taking a moment to recompose herself, her cheeks flushed in red while she admiringly stared up to Ren. Could she really blame herself for going all in after a whole week without her boyfriend?

Ren nodded. Laying down one more quick kiss onto Ann's forehead, he quickly jumped out off bed, fixing his clothes and headed over to bathroom to quickly wash up. As he splashed some cold water on his face, Ren recollected his thoughts and reminded himself of his current predicament.

His parents… Ren hadn't contacted them for two whole days. Heaviness revisited his heart as he recalled to the night his parents argued with him and led to his father proclaiming his decision to disown his son. The words still stung in Ren's heart.

Did his father really mean these words? More importantly, did Ren really mean his own argument against his parent's pride – or did he simply act upon his own frustrations without thinking?

Ren sighed, leaning over the sink as he tried to figure out his next course of action. Surely he couldn't stay within the Takamaki's residence forever, plus he still desired to complete his classes back in Kyoto.

What could Ren do now?

A gentle knock emitted from the bathroom door. Ren went over to open it, the delightful sight of Ann already dressed up in her casual attire, having put her hair up into a bun-style. Even in her laziest attempts to put on an outfit, Ann still looked beautiful in Ren's eyes.

"Hey, you hungry?" Ann asked, gently rubbing her right eyes to remove the sleepiness from her. "I could use some coffee right now. And maybe some curry."

Ren smiled, walking up to Ann and embracing around her lower waist, laying another quick kiss on her forehead. "I know just the place."

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Cafe Leblanc** _   
_**Daytime** _

Morgana took a moment to stretch out on their old bed within the attic. After last night's events in the Spirit Palace, he had joined with the other Phantom Thieves to eat out, finishing up around midnight. With Ren and Ann busy spending much needed time together, Morgana decided to rest up at Cafe Leblanc – carefully picking out the lock to the entrance in order to have the whole place to himself.

"Mhmmmm… That was a really good cat nap." Morgana yawned, looking out the window as the sun reflected inside. He figured that he had slept in, considering he already heard Sojiro making preparations downstairs. As he began making his way downstairs to look for some food to eat, Morgana recollected his thoughts on last night's events.

"Ren and Ann made up… Our team defeated the Shadow… And Kasumi awakened her Persona. Geez, a lot of stuff did happen last night, huh?" Morgana talked to himself as he carefully hopped down the steps from the attic. Most of their issues had been resolved last night – with the exception of one glaring problem remaining.

Ren's parents.

With time to think about the situation, Morgana was left with mixed emotions. Initially, he was frustrated with the way Ren's father literally kicked him out of their family over  _one_ single aspect of his life that he hid away. Morgana thought of his anger to be such an over exaggeration.

But Morgana remembered one of the last few words the Shadow had confessed during their battle last night – on how they were able to directly influence the decisions and minds of those close to Ren and Ann.

"Could Ren's parents have been affected by the Shadow attributes, therefore – making them react the way they did?" Morgana commented to himself. It made the most sense to him. There was absolutely  _no_  way that any parent with a sensible mind would immediately kick out their own child so easily.

But with the Shadow defeated, would that mean Ren's parents would have a change of heart?

"Ahh, you're back." Sojiro's voice echoed out in delight as he turned over to the couple entering the cafe. Morgana joined them, making his way over to one of the stools along the counter and watched as Ren and Ann walked into the establishment, greeting Sojiro whilst the two held their hands together.

"Awwww… What a beautiful thing to wake up to in the morning." Morgana couldn't help but smile. He ended up chuckling as the thought came to him about how he felt so heartbroken last year seeing Ann walk into the cafe on Valentines Day for her date with Ren.

Nowadays, Morgana looked proudly on the growth of their relationship

"Heheh… As if that was a little over seven months ago. Time sure does fly." Morgana said.

"Mona-chan! Good morning!" Ann spoke joyfully, walking over to Morgana. Picking him up from the stool, she embraced Morgana in her arms and gave him a hug. "I apologize on behalf of Ren for leaving you last night. I hope the night wasn't too lonely for you."

"Gaahh… N-No worries, I'm fine." Morgana groaned, realizing how tightly Ann was hugging him. "I-I would be even better if you weren't trying to suffocate me!"

"Ooops, sorry. Got carried away, hehe." Ann apologized, letting go of Morgana as he hopped into the booth seats.

"So… How was  _your_ night?" Morgana asked the couple as they took their seats.

"One of the best nights I've had in awhile." Ren admitted, smiling over to Ann while she returned the gesture.

"Wait… So did 'yall… You know… Do the thing where, uhmm-" Morgana began to speak, before being suddenly cut off by both Ren and Ann.

"NOO! NOT LIKE THAT!" the couple yelled in unison, both of them flustered by Morgana's assumption.

"Hey guys… I know that everything is good between you now, but you mind going easy on the cat?" Sojiro raised an eyebrow, confused to their sudden outburst towards Morgana. He walked up to their table and provided their coffee and curry for breakfast, even preparing a special plate for Morgana with special fish pieces. "You're gonna frighten the poor thing."

"Mweheheh! Sojiro sure knows how to pamper me!" Morgana spoked in amusement. His mouth began to water at the sight and smell of the fish in his food. "Ooooooooh, now  _this_ is what I call a good breakfast to start the day!"

The trio took their time to indulge in their breakfast, making wholesome conversation as they simply enjoyed the most out of their sunday morning. It had been a long time since the three of them had been able to spend time like this. To be able to bond together over their joys and struggles – Ren, Ann and Morgana felt like one being as they conversed and reflected on their past memories of the year so far.

"Hey, so I thought I should let you know that Tatsuya reached out to me last night – before you guys had come over," Ann confessed to Ren. "He simply messaged me on how I was doing."

"Yeah, no worries – Tatsuya-san had messaged me as well." Ren replied. "Seems like he was looking out for the both of us during our break-up, huh?"

"Heheh, yeah. He's a really nice guy. I'm glad that he cares enough to check up on us." Ann smiled, feeling grateful to have friends looking out for them. She looked over to Ren and noticed that he was tapping a finger on the table, leaning his head on his hand while he was deep in thought. Ann reached her hand over to his and gently caressed it. "Hey babe, something on your mind?"

"Yeah… My parents," Ren sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Just even the slight thought of his situation stressed him out.

"Babe, you can tell me anything. Please, that's why I'm here." Ann assured him, rubbing his hand in comfort.

"Yeah, we're both here for you, Ren." Morgana joined in.

"It's just… I feel like I was a bit too harsh with my words during our fight." Ren began to let out. "I called my parents liars, accused them of being controlling and said that they didn't fight enough for when I was initially charged for my false assault last year. Right now, I just feel like I'm a sad excuse of a son to them."

"Babe, you are absolutely  _not_ that! You're someone who's been through so much, sacrificed a lot for others and did the best that you could when odds were against you." Ann encouraged. "Please, don't be so hard on yourself. You reacted the way you did  _because_ you were overwhelmed with so much going on. You did the best you could."

"Still… I believe his parents could have been more kinder with their words. It's not right to kick out your own child that way." Morgana commented.

"Mona-chan, please – try to understand from Ren's parent's perspective too." Ann reminded him. "I don't exactly agree with their decision, but I could only imagine that you'd want the best for your child. And parents may feel entitled to know what's best for their kin. But sometimes, having the patience and support is what should matter the most."

"I get you, Lady Ann, but what kind of parent just decides to completely cut off their own child like that?" Morgana grumbled. His feelings began to fire up, remembering of Mr. Amamiya's anger and Mrs. Amamiya's reluctance to do anything to defend her own son. "I swear… It's like their hearts were corrupted or something. I just still can't fathom their actions."

"Hmh… Corrupted hearts. Haven't heard that word in awhile." Ren mused. "Kinda refreshing to hear that term again. Although, I wouldn't feel comfortable using that term towards even my own parents."

"Sorry… uhm, that just came out." Morgana apologized to Ren.

"Well, it's hard to believe that Ren's parents would be corrupted. That kind of life that we once lived is long behind us," Ann spoke up, taking a sip of her coffee as she remembered their time as the Phantom Thieves changing the hearts of individuals who were under corrupt. "Sadly, this may be a case where Ren's parents truly believe in what they said. I just wish it never had to go like this."

Morgana took a moment to remind himself of words that Kasumi brought up to him last night – to reveal the truth about the Spirit Palace as it directly influenced the life and relationships of Ren and Ann. The had a right to know what was going on. Morgana's own guilt began to weigh in as he continued watching the couple seem so confused in the behaviour of Ren's parents.

If Ren and Ann knew about the influence happening to their relationship – then they would have a fighting chance to fix their bonds, not just from what was going on now – but what could come to their own future.

"Hey guys… I should tell you something." Morgana spoke up, his head lowered while feeling his heart beat speed up. Ren and Ann looked over to him in wonderment, awaiting his comments.

Before Morgana could speak of his mission, the door to Cafe Leblanc opened. By habit, the trio turned their heads towards the new visitor – noting of their unique appearance. The individual appeared to be a woman slightly older than Ren and Ann– roughly looking to be in their early to mid twenties. She sported a mature sense of fashion – wearing a black trench overtop a dark blue wool turtleneck sweater, dark navy blue jeans and sleek black mid-heel boots. The woman styled their platinum blonde hair into hair buns and wore a fancy, newsboy-esque hat.

"Mornin'! First time here?" Sojiro greeted the mysterious new visitor.

"Yes. I heard that your coffee is exquisite in its taste and brew." the woman replied in a calm tone.

"Well, I do my best. What can I get you?" Sojiro asked.

The woman nodded, giving her request to Sojiro while she took a seat among the stools close to where the Ren, Ann and Morgana were sitting. Taking notice to the group, the woman recognized Ann. "I'm sorry to bother, but aren't you Takamaki-san?"

"Y-Yes! How did you know who I am?" Ann responded in surprise.

"I happened to watch your performance back at the Tokyo Music Festival. You were a definite standout compared to the rest of the singers that night." the woman replied in a calm manner. She turned over to Ren and recognized him as well. "Mmhm. You must be the boyfriend. You were amazing yourself with your singing and dancing."

"Thanks." Ren responded, caught by surprise to hear someone recognize him. "If I may ask, what is your name?"

"You may simply call me Charlotte." the woman answered.

"Oooooh! You mean, like that dessert?" Ann chimed in while images of the cake dessert popped up in her mind.

"Excuse her, she's a sweet tooth addict." Ren commented.

"What an amusing one you are," Charlotte commented over to Ann, taking a quick sip of her coffee that Sojiro just brewed for her. She looked back over to Ren and made an observation. "Not to pry into your business or anything, but you seem to be bothered by something, Ren-kun. Your demeanor is quite apparent of one who is going through a grand trial right now."

"Hmm, that obvious, I guess?" Ren lowered his gaze, rubbing the side of his neck. For whatever reason, he felt a sense of trust towards the mysterious new lady they just met. "Let's just say I had a falling out with a few close to me. Guess I'm still figuring out my feelings and what I want to do about it."

"I see. A boy troubled with regrets of his actions. Perhaps you are hoping for a resolution between the two that you care about?" Charlotte expressed, much to the trio's surprise at how spot on her assumptions were. "These people you desire to fix your bond with are close family? Parents maybe?"

"Whoah – are you some kind of psychic or something? That's exactly what he's going through." Ann responded in awe, impressed by Charlotte's spot-on guess.

"Well, let's just say I've had experience in dealing with rejection before." Charlotte explained. "Having a fall out with your own personal family though – it can be quite difficult. I do know that waiting is not the most vital option ever. Acting immediately prefaces your concern right away to the opposing party. You need to take the initiative right away to showcase how much you care, right?"

"Acting immediately, huh? I always thought that taking a step back and thinking about what to do would be the better option." Ann commented as she rubbed her chin.

"In some cases, yes. But in my opinion, feeling how severe this situation is with Ren's parents, waiting will only cause the issue Charlotte affirmed. She turned herself towards Ren and gave him a concern look. "You  _do_ want to fix things with your parents, correct?"

"Y-Yes… I do." Ren replied, looking back into Charlotte's eyes – as if entranced by her stare.

"And you Ann, you  _do_ want to give  _all_ your support to your boyfriend, no matter the risk, right?" Charlotte spoke in the same tone she used with Ren,

"O-Of course… Anything for Ren." Ann responded. She was also enamoured by Charlotte's look, as if her golden-yellow eyes pierced into her spirit.

"Then there is my advice! Take action and fix your issue with Ren's parents as soon as possible. Your commitment for each other must surely help you overcome these odds." Charlotte announced. She took another sip of her coffee, before receiving a notification from her cell phone. Taking a moment to read their message, Charlotte excused herself from the trio. "I apologize, but I have an appointment I must attend to. It was a pleasure to meet you both."

Charlotte turned over to Ren and gave him a reassuring smile. "And I do wish the best for your predicament. I believe that a great outcome will happen for you."

"Thank you." Ren smiled back, grateful of Charlotte's words of encouragement.

The group said goodbye to Charlotte as she exited the cafe. From such a short, random conversation, it was apparent that Charlotte's words had an impact on both Ren and Ann.

"She seems so nice to say that." Ann gave her thoughts. "She didn't even know you, and yet she was willing to give you hope in your situation. If only more people would display random words of kindness to others."

"Yeah. I'll admit, it was a bit weird that she was so accurate on my situation too. It's like she knew everything to the last bit of detail." Ren added.

"Some people are just really good at reading others, I guess." Ann replied. She looked over to Morgana, curious on his thoughts on the random encounter. "Hmm? Mona-chan, is something on your mind? You seem to be deep in thought."

"Nothing… It's just that, it seems so weird that she knew a lot about your situation, regardless if it was just guessing." Morgana expressed.

"You're right… We shouldn't wait any longer for Ren's parents though. We  _need_  to fix this problem ourselves!" Ann suddenly expressed with determination. "I'm coming with you! Let me just check on the next train heading to Kyoto. I know it's Sunday and all, but I'm sure there are still a couple lines active today."

"Mhmm – you're right Ann. I can't wait any longer. If I want to fix things with my parents, I need to be proactive in this issue." Ren agreed. "Waiting will just cause this wound in our relationship to grow bigger. Our issue must be tended to right away."

"Wait – shouldn't we think about this a bit more?" Morgana suggested. "Like, we have to remind ourselves of the situation so far. Your parent's  _literally_ disowned you. We can't just walk in blindly without coming up with a game plan!"

Ren and Ann continued to ignore Morgana's comments, instead continuing to make plans on their own on how they would be able to talk it out with Amamiyas.

"We can't wait anymore. We need to fix this. Now." Ann explained

"Yes... We can't wait." Ren repeated.

As much as Morgana protested and attempted to give his own insight on their issue, Ren and Ann continued to ignore him, seemingly settled on their plans to go to the Amamiya's right away and attempt to fix the issue at hand. On the other hand, Morgana was concerned of the couple's irrational decision to head there without a solid plan.

"Something doesn't seem right. It's like their minds were completely taken over." Morgana spoke to himself. "That lady… Charlotte? It's like she was able to… influence their decision. Was she really  _that_ impactful of their decision right now?"

Before Morgana could think any further, Ren and Ann were already making their way out of the cafe.

"Alright! You good to go?" Ann asked, filled with enthusiasm as she hopped out of her seat.

"I'm ready! If we managed to make up, then surely I'll be able to find a resolution with my own parents." Ren followed, taking Ann's hand as they made their way over to the cafe's exit.

"Hmm? You guys heading out already?" Sojiro's voice echoed out from the kitchen

"Yes – actually I'm planning to head back home now." Ren replied.

"Oh, so soon? Did you manage to work things out with your parents?" Sojiro expressed concern.

"Nope! Not yet, but that's why we're heading to his house and talk with his parents." Ann added, excited to be able to help out Ren.

"We'll be fine Sojiro. Thanks again for opening your doors to me when I needed it." Ren smiled over to him – Sojiro nodding back as they exited the cafe.

"Huh… That was a bit quick of them to decide." Sojiro commented to himself, heading his way back into the kitchen to finish washing up. "I do hope all goes well for them."

"Damn… Even Sojiro noticed their weird behaviour." Morgana spoke. He soon noticed that Ren and Ann were now gone and began to give chase to them outside, calling out to the couple. "Hey, guys! W-Wait! Shouldn't we give this decision more time?"

"We should be fine! Didn't you hear what Charlotte said? If we don't act now, then things between Ren and his parents will never get fixed!" Ann tried to assure Morgana. "I mean, we were able to come to peace with my own parents just last night, remember?"

"Yeah… But that was when we had about a week's worth of time to reflect on our own actions! You guys are just now deciding to head over to Ren's parents without much proper thought!"

"Morgana… Don't you want me to make up with my mother and father?" Ren asked. He raised an eyebrow, concerned of his friend's doubt.

"O-Of course… But I want to make sure you guys do it the  _right_ way. I mean, this is such a sensitive situation already. We're practically walking on egg shells if we dive into this without a proper way to resolve this." Morgana expressed.

"Ohh, Morgana. I appreciate your concern, but Ren and I have already decided. It would mean a lot to have you by our side to support us while we're there." Ann assured, kneeling down to Morgana as she gently pet the side of his head.

"...Alright. And of course I'll come with y'all. I live with the guy, remember?" Morgana responded, attempting to change his own mood to a more upbeat and enthusiastic one.

"Thanks Morgana. You've always been there for Ann and I. Having you with us would make us more at ease." Ren said with sincerity.

Morgana forced a smile over to the couple as he jumped into Ren's bag. He did his best to relax while the couple made their way over to the train station and hope on the first line to Kyoto.

Still – an uneasy thought of doubt lingered in Morgana's mind about the entire situation they were about to jump into.

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Kyoto, Japan** _   
_**Amamiya Residence** _   
_**Evening** _

The quiet of night loomed over the neighbourhood where the Amamiya residence stood in. With the group having left Tokyo earlier in the day, they arrived by early evening. Ren and Ann had taken their time during the train commute to discuss their plan on how to talk it over with the Amamiyas. The entire time, Morgana felt unease with their plan.

"You guys are just going to head simply to apologize and hope for the best?" Morgana expressed his thoughts.

"We have to try. Waiting is not an option." Ann reminded him.

"I need to talk it out with my parents. Like Charlotte said – I need to take action." Ren added.

"Okay… I'll be here if you need support." Morgana assured them.

The trio walked up to Ren's home – silent, yet the lights of the interior shone into the night outside. Taking a deep breath, Ren gently knocked on the door. As they waited, Ann gently held onto Ren's arm as she rubbed it to provide comfort and show her support.

"Everything will work out." Ann whispered over to her boyfriend with a calm tone.

"I know." Ren simply nodded.

"Please…. Please go easy on them." Morgana prayed within Ren's bag.

The door to the Amamiya's opened, with Ren's father answering the door. At first, he gave the couple a shocked look, before furrowing his eyebrows at them.

"Ren… What are you doing here?" Mr. Amamiya spoke with a disturbed tone.

"F-Father…. I-I just wanted to apologize-" Ren tried to speak, before being interrupted Mr. Amamiya with a sudden outburst.

"How  _dare_ of you to think that you can just walk right in like everything is fine!" Mr. Amamiya yelled, immediately escalating his tone of voice into anger. "You run away from our house without even  _once_ calling us to tell us where you were, disappear for almost  _three_ whole days, and  _now_  you expect everything to be just fine?"

Mr. Amamiya turned over to Ann, seeing as she was hiding behind Ren's back. He pointed towards her.

"And you even have the spine to bring  _her_ back here? What the  _hell_ were you thinking?"

"Father! Don't talk to Ann like that!" Ren defended. "I-I just wanted to talk."

"I have nothing more to talk about with you, Ren. Now leave these premises. Before I call the authorities." Mr. Amamiya made his final stance, turning his back from Ren and Ann and walking back into the dining room.

Ren and Ann could only stand in place – shocked by Mr. Amamiya's warning.

"Honey? What's going on-" Mrs. Amamiya's voice echoed from the kitchen. She turned around the corner, surprised to find Ren and Ann standing in the open doorway. At first, Mrs. Amamiya was grateful to see her son okay, but realized the immediate tension between him and her husband. "Ren-kun… Where have you been? I'm so glad to see you're okay."

"Don't talk to him, dear. He's just wasting our time." Mr. Amamiya growled.

"Please… Ren-kun. I did my best to talk to your father – but he won't change his mind. No matter what I say, he won't have a change of heart." Mrs. Amamiya whispered. She took a moment to hold in her tears and gently grabbed her son's arm. "Please… If you just give me more time to talk to him, I'll find a way to convince you to come back and you two may talk. But now is not the best time. Please, Ren-kun, you have to be patient with him."

"…Okay." Ren could only muster up.

Ann held a hand to her mouth, afraid to speak up as she was certain that even the sound of her voice would further upset Mr. Amamiya.

As Mrs. Amamiya closed the door, Ren and Ann heard the last few words of Mr. Amamiya echo to them.

"You need to learn more about being an adult, Ren. Thinking you can just waltz back without even a game plan. You expect a simple apology will fix everything? You are wrong. And I thought I had taught you better."

Morgana took a moment to peek out from Ren's bag. He immediately caught a glimpse of Mr. Amamiya before the door closed – noting the familiar yellow-glowing eyes that sparked within his gaze.

"Ren's parents. They both have those glowing yellow eyes… Just like Ryuji did." Morgana commented to himself.

His suspicions were correct. The Shadow enemy's influence had reached its way into the hearts of Ren's parents – further straining their relationship with Ren and pulling it all apart.

If Ren's parents were still being affected by the Shadow's powers – did that mean that the Shadow itself was still alive?

But that wasn't possible… Morgana and his Persona-users were able to defeat it within the Spirit Temple by combining their powers together. They even witnessed it in person as the Shadow was obliterated.

Unless… it did survive.

"I need to talk to Justine about this." Morgana said to himself. If the Shadow's powers were still present, then the Spirit Palace holding Ren and Ann's treasured bond was still vulnerable to its influences.

Throughout his thought process, Morgana hadn't noticed the significant amount of time had passed. He was snapped back into reality by the sound of sobbing. Still riding along in Ren's bag, he faced upwards, noting that they were strolling through the streets of Kyoto – approaching Okumaru Cafe.

Ren had Ann embraced in one of his arms as she sobbed into his shoulder. The words of Mr. Amamiya had taken a huge toll towards her spirit.

"I still… Can't believe…. Your father won't accept me." Ann spoke through her tears. She sniffled, using Ren's shoulder as a napkin to dry out to tears from her eyes.

"I… I don't know what to do anymore." Ren spoke with a tone of defeat. He was at a complete loss with dealing towards his parent's rejection. "Should I… Should I have thought this through more? But what the hell can I do?."

The duo stopped in front of Okumaru Cafe – Ann continued to cry into her boyfriend's shoulder, while Ren stood motionlessly, staring into space as he remained in a state of loss and confusion regarding his father turning them away once again.

"Let's… have a cup of tea or something to distract our minds and destress right now." Morgana suggested, turning over to the quiet, yet busy cafe beside them. "It looks like we really need it after that terrible turnout with your parents."

"Easy with the words, Morgana. I don't need to be reminded how this night turned out." Ren suddenly talked back.

"Well, you should have listened to  _me_  instead of blindly following Charlotte's word!" Morgana suddenly growled back, jumping out of Ren's bag as he hissed at the couple.

He suddenly realized what he said and the impact of his words when he saw Ren and Ann flinch away from him in shock – their facial expressions filled with pain as they were stabbed in the heart further by Morgana's conviction.

"I'm… sorry. Th-That was uncalled for." Morgana lowered his head in regret.

"Mona-chan… I-I just wanted to help fix things with Ren's parents. And maybe, help them to accept who I am… But… Maybe… You're right though." Ann sniffed out.

"Morgana – I think Ann and I need some time for ourselves to just… talk it out." Ren suggested. "Please understand. But know that… maybe you were right about waiting."

Morgana simply nodded, watching as Ren and Ann walked into the cafe. He took a moment to sigh, re-evaluating the entire day and the outcome between Ren, Ann and his parents. It was apparent that their bonds were not mending anytime soon – instead worsening with the appearance of Ren and Ann to the Amamiya residence.

If only they had taken more time to figure out a plan – it was quite clear that Ren's father was not open to a resolution or apology.

But those yellow-glowing eyes… If Morgana's gut feeling was right, then it was apparent that Ren's own father was succumbing to an influence  _outside_ his control – causing him to lash out as a character unlike his usual self.

"This is going to require a different intervention. A true change of heart." Morgana said to himself.

Suddenly, the fur on the back of Morgana stuck up as he felt an eerie presence around him. His instincts activated as Morgana stood on all fours in a defensive position. He began to peer around the quiet, dark streets of Kyoto, with only the street lights to illuminate the area.

Morgana's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted a lone figure, standing ominously off in the distance. The light of the street lamps giving them an intimidating shadow looming towards Morgana. He immediately recognized the familiar trench coat, the newsboy hat and the black combat boots sported by the female figure.

"Huh? It's that woman back in Tokyo. But… how did she get here so fast?" Morgana thought to himself.

A woman's voice began to echo into his mind. At first, he thought it was Justine – before Morgana realized that it sounded similar to the distorted tone of the Shadow from the Spirit Palace.

" _ **The Trickster… And Lover… Their bonds will continue to tear apart. As long as I am here to stop them from achieving the healing they so desire."**_

"No way… Is that voice, coming from the woman?" Morgana turned over to where the lone figure was standing a few meters away

They no longer stood there.

" _ **Foolish cat… You believe that you could rid of me so easily? As long as I have her life force – I can regenerate as much as I please."**_

"Regenerate? Her life force? What the hell are you talking about?" Morgana yelled, frantically looking around to find the Shadow now haunting him.

This was a nightmare come true. The Shadow that Morgana believed his team had defeated – had survived.

And now, it seemed stronger as ever. And even more determined to act its vengeance against Ren and Ann's relationship.

" _ **You believe that I would waste the powers and form of the other half? Her powers were too beneficial to waste away. So now… her spirit, her mind and soul. Her extravagant powers are now mind to add upon my own strength."**_

Before Morgana could react, his whole entire body flew across the street, taking impact from a sudden, swift kick right against his side. Morgana yelped as slammed right against the hard, concrete wall of a building.

"Grrgh…. Th-That's not fair… What kind of… cheap shot was that?" Morgana growled. He did his best to stand up, but the kick had severely injured his body. His ribs felt like they were cracked, while his breathing struggled as Morgana wheezed in and out oxygen.

All Morgana could do was muster up the strength to face the shadow figure that walked over to him.

" _ **How could you not recognize the face of your former friend?"**_ the lone figure asked Morgana - now revealing herself to be Charlotte from Cafe Leblanc. She gave a devious grin as her platinum-blonde hair tied in buns and yellow eyes glowed underneath the street lamp's lights.  _ **"Although, I wouldn't blame you for not recognizing. Time does have its significant effects in changing one's appearance as they grow."**_

Morgana's eyes widened he stared up to Charlotte – noting that she gave off a familiar atmosphere that he felt only with a familiar twin that he befriended beforehand.

That his Persona-team thought they had lost in battle.

The sister that Justine yearned to have back in her life.

"No way… is that you, Caroline?" Morgana managed to stutter out. It only connected to him just now that Charlotte had the same facial features, appearance and voice as Caroline.

This Charlotte standing over him – her true form to be an older version of Caroline, used as a puppet by the Shadow enemy.

Before he could say anything, Morgana succumbed to a sudden wave of drowsiness. The influencing power emitting from Charlotte's hand as she forced him into a deep slumber.

"Now now. Get some rest. We'll be meeting again very soon, Feline."

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	24. The Waters of Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana and his Persona-team learn of Caroline's revival. A sacrifice must be made to mend the bond between Ren and his parents."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hiya reader! Not much in terms of any updates content-wise. Moving forward however, this story will be taking a different approach for the next chapters as we escalate towards the finale. Other than that, hope y'all have a wonderful weekend! Cheers!

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 24: THE WATERS OF SORROW**

* * *

 **\- The Spirit Palace -  
** **Room of Attribution**

Morgana awoke with a throbbing headache. His sides ached as he took a moment to gather his surroundings. The soothing trickle of water flowing through the ambient room put him at ease. Slowly sitting up, Morgana found himself in the Room of Attribution – the heart of the Spirit Palace. The room glowed in a calm blue light, with water spiraling around the altar for the amulet stones.

In the middle, a column of vibrant glass protected the treasure of the palace – Ren and Ann's bond, taking form as a heart of light.

"Did… I get transported here?" Morgana said to himself. The last thing he had remembered before losing consciousness was getting brutally beaten down by Charlotte. Or… maybe he exaggerated - it was only a swift, yet unsuspecting kick that his cat form was unable to handle. "Justine, she must've saved me after witnessing what Charlotte did to me in reality."

Still, his injuries weren't enough to divert his attention to the revelation about his long-thought deceased friend.

Charlotte - this new player in the game that they were currently in - was Caroline's body being used as the Shadow enemy's puppet.

"I've got to tell Justine about this..." Morgana immediately thought.

As if his thoughts were answered, the familiar voice of the other velvet twin echoed into the room as they entered.

"You've spent the past six months of your life protecting this bond. Any other individual would cease their actions – yet you continue pushing forward?" Justine began to speak, walking up the altar stairs as she met Morgana next to the pillar holding the palace's treasure.

"I… I vowed to become their guardian. To guard their relationship." Morgana stated, taking a moment to stand up. He leaned against the pillar to keep himself at balance, still recovering from the injuries he had sustained earlier.

"And yet – as much as you do to try and protect their relationship – so many trials come forward to hinder your progress." Justine began to recount. "Your continual challenge to overcome the ice queen Mika, the fiery duel against Tatsuya, the electrifying encounter with your own teammate Ryuji. Even against my own sister, Caroline."

"Justine, there's something I need to tell you. About what I saw earlier." Morgana spoke.

"Yes… I was listening to your conversation in the real world. After your failed attempts to help the Trickster and Lover rekindle their relationship with his guardians." Justine said. "My sister… Caroline, she is still alive."

"Is she really though?" Morgana questioned. "Charlotte – she's like a completely new character, but she's got the body of Caroline as if she grew older. And she even acts differently too – heck, she still remains that trademark sass that Caroline has. But… how is that possible?"

"There are some supernatural effects within our reality that even I am still trying to fathom. Like how this palace exists without the Metaverse and how your friend Kasumi is now able to understand you," Justine began to explain. "But my sister's sudden revival explains quite a bit on how the Shadow enemy is able to influence your reality.

"How is the Shadow using your sister?" Morgana asked.

"To put things into layman's understanding – during our battle against my sister's Shadow, you may recall that her body was strung up onto the cross that originated from what my older sister refers to as the  _Dark Hour,"_ Justine said. "From what I can deduce, the reason that the cross was draining my sister's life force was so the Shadow could utilize her abilities for its own benefit."

"So that means, her life force is intact, meaning that there's still a chance that we can save your sister?" Morgana followed.

Justine simply nodded, affirming Morgana's assumption.

"Hmph, then that makes sense with how the Shadow is able to freely walk around reality and influence others to do things they normally wouldn't do." Morgana recalled to the recent events with Ryuji's deception of his own feelings, Ren and Ann's rash decision to make sudden amends with the Amamiya's and Ren's father being stubborn in not accepting his own son's attempts to apologize.

"As long as the Shadow enemy retains my sister's form, it has the power to do as it pleases. It will take whatever means necessary to obliterate the treasured bond of this palace and tear apart the Trickster and Lover's relationship." Justine summarized.

Morgana began to shake his head and sighed. As if things in this story were getting even more complicated. First it was just an adventure of him discovering the attributes of a relationship in order to overcome the pain he felt seeing his loved one with another man – now they had to deal with a supernatural entity that embodied the mind and powers of his friend's twin?

How much further could they take this outrageous journey?

"So what's our next step? How are we going to stop the Shadow now?" Morgana asked Justine.

"Before we can consider tackling the Shadow itself, we need to remedy the case of the current issue the Trickster and Lover face in their bond. It is why I brought you here in the first place." Justine explained.

Justine pointed over to the middle of the altar, where the treasured bond of Ren and Ann's remained. The treasure continued glowing with its shining, bright light, but at times flashed between a dark, purple aura as the heart's shaped warped.

"Something is disturbing the treasure. It must be from the effects of Ren's father after he turned down their apology." Morgana recounted. "Things didn't exactly go well with Ren and Ann's plan. I know that their heart was into apologizing and making amends, but I kept telling them that it wasn't the right time."

"The Shadow's influence through the use of my sister's body managed to warp their desires. Not only did it reach their minds, but to the Trickster's guardian as well – evidenced by their unwillingness to cooperate." Justine explained. "And because of the Shadow's corruption – a new force awaits us in the palace."

"Sounds like we've got another battle coming up, huh?" Morgana stood with newfound energy. After succumbing to both an emotional and physical defeat against the Shadow, Morgana was ready to stand back up and fight.

"Shall I call our comrades?" Justine asked.

"Do it." Morgana nodded back.

Utilizing her Velvet Room powers, Justine called upon the Spirit Guardians team – taking them from their respective locations in reality, and gathering them into the Room of Attribution.

"Reporting for duty!" Yukari saluted Morgana as she and the rest of the team met atop the altar.

"Your timing was perfect – I was just finished with a new dance routine for my upcoming winter concert." Rise told the others.

"You've got a new concert coming up?" Ken asked – Korumaru standing by his side.

"Yup! I'll be heading back to Tokyo for a special Christmas concert!" Rise answered joyfully. "You guys should definitely come and check it out! My team and I are aiming to make a super festive night of music sometime during December."

"Sounds fun! What do you say, Korumaru?" Ken asked.

"Bark! Bark!" Korumaru answered with excitement.

"Ooof! I'm definitely coming! The timing is perfect too – I should be available once our Featherman movie debut finishes up in November." Yukari joined in on their conversation.

"Guys, as pleasant as it is to catch up and plan for future outings, we should focus on the task at hand." Kasumi reminded the group. She turned over to Morgana, sensing the trouble that he was going through at the moment. "Is everything going well with Ren and Ann? I hadn't heard from them since we left for ramen the night before."

"It's a long story – I'll catch you guys up to speed." Morgana said. He began to explain of the entire events that transpired since their last mission – regarding of Ren and Ann making up, their spontaneous plan to travel to Tokyo to confront Ren's parents, Mr. Amamiya harshly rejecting them, and most importantly, the Shadow's influence that caused this entire mess to occur, along with Caroline's life force being used for the enemy's plan.

"Hmph – so that Shadow enemy is walking around in your sister's body – yet she matured her in a way so that she wold be unrecognizable?" Ken recounted. "This is unlike anything we've faced before."

"Man, it must be so weird knowing that the enemy is using your own sister's body for their own dirty work. Let alone doing all this just because they're petty over some relationship that they envy." Yukari expressed.

"I'm so sorry for you, Justine." Rise said to the lone Velvet Twin, crouching over to console her. "But, this must be a good thing, right? There's a chance that we can save your sister if their life force still exists?"

"I'm not entirely sure of the capacity on how the Shadow enemy has taken my sister's energy force," Justine said earnestly. "As much as I'd like to believe that there is even a  _slight_ chance that I could save my sister, I don't want my feelings to overshadow our missi9on. What is clear is that we  _must_ stop the Shadow enemy from causing any more trouble in reality."

"Right, so we're all caught up to speed?" Morgana asked everyone.

The entire team nodded. With their current mission to stop the new threat of the Shadow enemy in the Palace, the heroes put their focus on stopping this on-going attack towards Ren and Ann's relationship. The team began to traverse through the Spirit Palace, fighting through the Shadow's crawling among the hallways. Rise utilized her Persona's navigation abilities – which found them within the Gallery of the Palace.

"Whoah – I swear, this Palace always manages to amaze me every day with what it has inside." Yukari said in awe, taking her time to look around the gallery.

Rise scanned the area, noting that the gallery was safe from any Shadows. Taking a moment to breathe, the Spirit Guardians walked through the hallway of the gallery, finding rows and rows of paintings hung within the room.

"Hold on, do you guys notice a pattern with these paintings?" Ken asked.

"They all have Ren and Ann in them." Kasumi answered.

The rest of the group scanned the paintings, depicting the key figures in all of them – Ren and Ann. Each one showed the couple sharing a moment together.

"Hold on, I recognize this one." Morgana took a moment to "This happened around May, when Haru opened up her cafe in Kyoto. Ren did this grand gesture where he got Ann her favorite dessert and they both danced on the outdoor balcony."

"Ohhh! That is so sweet!" Rise gushed over the moment.

"Morgana! Look over this one," Kasumi called him over. He and the rest of the group joined her as she pointed over to another painting. It depicted Ren and Ann in their dancing uniforms while they performed on-stage in front of a massive crowd.

"Hey, isn't that when they did their spontaneous dance routine during the Tokyo Summer Festival back in August?" Yukari asked.

"Yes it is." Morgana answered. He began to scratch his chin and noted more of the paintings within the gallery. One showed of Ren and Ann walking through Central Street of Shibuya as they shared their crepes and bubble tea together. Another showed them at Cafe Leblanc on Valentines Day, with Ann resting her head upon Ren's shoulder after with her gift set on the table. The most recent painting showed Ren and Ann outside the Takamaki's home as they kissed and made-up.

"These paintings – all of them seem to represent a moment shared between the Trickster and the Lover." Justine concluded.

"This gallery then, since this is the Palace of Ren and Ann's bond – would this specific room represent the memories shared together?" Ken brought up.

"It seems so. All these moments of I've witnessed myself." Morgana confirmed.

"Ohhh – it must be nice to have a place to hold your special memories with your significant other." Rise expressed.

"Hey… but what about this painting?" Kasumi called the others again. She stared up to yet another painting frame, except this one gave a more melancholic tone. It currently depicted of Ren and Ann sitting within Okumaru Cafe – with Ann crying into Ren's shoulder as she attempted to comfort her.

"Why is Ann crying in this one?" Yukari asked.

"And Ren – it looks like he's struggling to comfort her, let alone looking stressed himself." Ken noted.

"This must have been how they were before I left them to come here," Morgana brought up. At first, seeing this painting among the rest puzzled him. Wasn't this gallery seemingly supposed to captured the heartfelt moments between Ren and Ann? Why did this one stick out? And what caused it to be there in the first place?

"Guys, do you notice the distortion around the frame?" Rise brought to their attention.

"Huh… Yeah, and it looks like the painting itself is rippling too." Ken added.

"It's as if this painting has come alive." Morgana said.

"Could this possibly be the Shadow's doing once again? Imparting a terrible moment into the collection of Ren and Ann's memories in order to disrupt their bond?" Yukari brought up.

"I wouldn't be surprised, I'm scanning a lot of Shadow energy emitting from the painting itself." Rise told them. "There's definitely a negative influence coming from it."

"Hey Ken, you mind touching the painting for me?" Morgana suddenly asked.

"What? Why?" Ken started to object.

"Because! I'm too short to reach up to it. Plus, I have a hunch about this painting."

Ken sighed and obeyed Morgana's request. Bringing along Korumaru with him for support, Ken carefully reached his hand out towards the painting. Expecting to touch the rippling art, Ken and the others were surprised when his hand went right into the painting, with the area around his arm waving around. Ken yelped as he thrusted his hand back out.

"Gaah! H-How did that happen?" Ken gasped, tending to his arm to ensure it was okay. "Man, that felt really weird. My arm is still tingling after doing that."

"Whoah! The painting is acting just like a television." Rise commented.

"Television?" Morgana raised an eyebrow to her comment. "Risette, what kind of televisions do you use?"

"Ohh… Uhh, It's a long story, heheh."

"I feel as if there is more to this painting that what it appears." Justine said. She walked up to the painting and stared at it, feeling a presence calling out to her. Without hesitation, Justine jumped into the painting. The painting waved in ripples from where she had just jumped into.

"GAAH! Justine! What the heck?" Yukari yelled in shock. She turned towards the others – who were also surprised by Justine's actions. "Did y'all just see that?"

"Yeah! D-Did she just jump into the painting?" Rise yelped.

"I believe she did." Kasumi replied. For being the most recent addition to their Persona team, Kasumi seemed to adapt quickly to all these surprises. She also felt the same type of energy calling out to her. "Morgana, I feel like the answer to our current issue lies on the other side of the painting. Shall we jump in and see what lies ahead?"

"There's a reason to all this energy spiking around this area. This might be the Shadow attempting to call us. Regardless, there's only one way to find out." Morgana said. Nodding over to Kasumi, the duo took a step back and jumped into the painting, the same rippling effects emitting from the frame once they jumped in.

"Geez – they must be crazy!" Yukari exclaimed. She looked over to Ken and Korumaru as they took a step forward towards the painting. "Ken, are you planning to jump in as well?"

"We've come this far in our journey through this palace. There's no reason to stop here, right?" Ken explained himself.

"Bark! Bark!" Korumaru agreed.

"Come on, the others will be needing our help. Who knows what lies behind this painting." Rise joined them.

"Alright… Yeah, you guys are right!" Yukari agreed.

Joining them, Yukari took a deep breath and counted down for them. At the same time, she, Rise, Ken and Korumaru jumped into the painting and entered the dimension lying on the other side.

* * *

**\- Azure Dimension -**

Morgana and his Persona team flew through a spiraling portal – one full of circling light that gradually shifted into a dark void as they progressed through the portal. Upon reaching the end, the group found themselves in a mysterious dimension. The sky around them was a clear, dark purple colour – reaching all the way out to the horizon from afar. The ground itself was completely made up of shallow water on the ground – its depths akin to a puddle, with the reflection of the sky appearing in it – making the whole entire dimension appear to be a void of darkness.

"Where are we?" Yukari asked, looking around with the others as they grasped their surroundings.

"I don't know, but I'm sensing a huge spike of Shadow energy around here. Be on guard!" Rise warned them.

"Are we still in the Spirit Palace?" Ken inquired the others.

"No… I believe we've been teleported into a completely different dimension. One where the Shadow reigns." Justine answered.

"Look! Over there off in the distance!" Kasumi pointed her rapier out. A few meters away from them was a lone figure. Upon closer inspection, the figure appeared to be clad in a black trench coat, boots, and styled their platinum hair in buns. They were

"That woman… it's Charlotte." Morgana gritted his teeth at the familiar face. "Or more importantly – the Shadow enemy."

"Oh my…. She  _does_ look like Caroline as if she grew up." Rise commented, watching as Charlotte calmly approach the group.

"Guys, be ready for anything." Ken warned them. The group nodded as they all got into their battle stances. Ken brought out his long-spear and grasped it in his hands, while Yukari got her bow and arrow in ready positions. Kasumi followed suite as she took out her rapier, while Rise summoned her microphone stand out.

"Justine, are you going to be alright?" Morgana asked whilst taking out his sword for battle. "I know that its your sister's likeness that we're facing, but remember that it's the Shadow's spirit that we're fighting against."

"I will be fine, Morgana. Thank you." Justine assured him, taking her own stance as they faced Charlotte.

" _ **Hmph, I'm glad that you were able to recognize my charming face, Feline."**_ Charlotte spoke to them. Upon closer inspection, the team noted the eye patch on her right eye – one that looked similar to Justine's eye patch on her left eye.

"Enough of your games, Charlotte! If that is even your real name." Morgana began to speak. "Let's get down to business. You need to stop interfering with Ren and Ann's relationships in reality. All they're trying to do is live out their live – but you have the audacity to get in their way!"

" _ **Why must they be able to move on in happiness, while I must sulk in loneliness?"**_ Charlotte yelled in retaliation.  _ **"I don't care what they feel – if the Trickster cannot be with me, then he nor his Lover deserves to prosper in joy!"**_

"You've  _gotta_ be kidding me! All this trouble just because you are envious of their relationship?" Yukari argued back. "It's as if you have the mind of a child – all caught up in their emotions without taking a step back to see the bigger picture."

" _ **Hmph, don't try to deceive me. I'm not the only one whose felt this way before. Isn't that right, Feline?"**_ Charlotte called out Morgana.  _ **"Through this body of the Velvet Twin – I can recall through their memories to times before when you expressed your frustration about the Trickster and Lover's bond."**_

"I know what you're talking about. These emotions that you're feeling right now – to be jealous of their relationship, to be deceived of your entitlement with your bond to Ren. To be filled with anger towards Ann's position," Morgana started to speak. "But you need to understand that I moved on from that period of my life. I've learned to accept their relationship. There's no worth in holding on to this pain – I had to learn it the hard way."

" _ **Feline… How could you even dare push forward with your feelings then?"**_ Charlotte asked, intrigued by Morgana's experience.

The Persona team looked over to Morgana, awaiting for his answer.

"I… I had to be patient with not only myself, but with Ren and Ann," Morgana began to explain. He took the time to reflect on his own experiences witness the couple's relationship grow. "I've been with Ren for a long time, seeing him overcome the odds of reality when it didn't treat him well. Along his side, Ann always seemed to be there with him. Those two have been able to persevere through the toughest of trials together. It took me so long to realize their bond for each other – but in the end, it was worth it, knowing that I could finally look upon their relationship with a fresh perspective."

" _ **To be… patient?"**_ Charlotte repeated his words. This new word that the Shadow enemy was learning seemed to intrigue them further.  _ **"But how… did you learn about this attribute?"**_

"With patience comes with time," Morgana continued. "I guess real love for someone means that through all the troubles you face yourself, that you'll want what's best for them. It takes time to learn all this – and it's definitely a weakness many succumb to. But to be able to endure it all and accept what reality is – it's a much better approach than acting up on raw emotion. We just need time to take a step back and learn from our every day life."

"Wow… Such words of wisdom, Mona." Rise expressed with a smile.

"You've truly become the master

"Yeah… I just wish that Ren's parents would learn the same thing as well." Morgana expressed. "Ren has taken so long to learn that lesson, but because of the Shadow's influence, made him act at such a time when their own emotions are very sensitive. Still, Ann has been there to show him a true example of patience – even if the result that she yearned for in his confession to his parents wasn't exactly what she was expecting."

"If only Ren's parents understood this attribute and applied it with their discovery of his relationship with Ann, instead of their initial reaction of hostility like you mentioned Morgana." Kasumi added. "Personally, I've had to go through years of trouble with my parent's divorce. But I do agree that time is a beneficial factor in the healing process."

Unbeknownst to him, another attribute among Morgana's Spirit Amulet began to glow – signifying his understanding of patience in relationships.

Kasumi looked over and faced Charlotte, who had been listening to the team's conversation about being patient.

"Charlotte, correct?" Kasumi asked, receiving a blank stare from the shadow enemy. "Please listen, I know right now it must be difficult to seeing the one ou

"I can't… wait. I'll move these issues along at my own pace if it helps me get what  _I_ want!

Charlotte expressed in anger. For a moment, she felt sympathy concerning Ren's feelings for Ann and was understanding the concepts of patience – yet her own desire to be with him still overshadowed their thought process. "If… If I can't have him still, I'll have to wash away the competition!"

Suddenly, the water around Charlotte began to float in bubble form as it spiraled around her. Charlotte's body suddenly glowed in a light-blue aura as she summoned her own Persona.

"Gaaahh – I summon you,  **SEIRYA**!" Charlotte screamed out.

A blue beam of light shot down from the sky, engulfing Charlotte as the water spinning around her began to form a shape. The water took form of what appeared to be a long, serpant-like creature, with azure-blue scales forming on its upper body and a crimson red underside. Silver-esque fins popped out and aligned its spine, while its head formed as a dragon-like creature, with teal hair and a sharp facial features and snout. It's look was complete with it's yellow, ominous eyes that could pierce the soul.

" _ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAARRR!"_ Seirya cried out, the fully shaped azure dragon surrounded Charlotte.

"Wha- WHAAT! What is  _thaaat_!?" Yukari yelled in surprise. She and the others stared in awe at the new, unseen creature.

"It's a Persona! And not one I've seen before," Rise stated. She attempted to use Kozeon's abilities to scan it's statistics for battle. "Blessed skills? No. Wind maybe? That's not it… Oooh! Got it! Huh wait, it's apparently a  _water_ Persona?"

"A water Persona? That's insane!" Ken commented.

"Come on, team! Let's give her all we've got!" Morgana commanded. The rest of the Persona users gave out their battle cries, summoning their respective Personas and charged towards Charlotte and her Persona, Seiryu.

" _ **Fools! None of you are any match in my dimension!"**_ Charlotte warned. Immediately, she summoned a water spell –  _Aquadyne,_ and utilized her Persona to fire a strong torrent of water. To power up its base attack, Charlotte utilized the water on the ground found in her dimension. The water blast lit up in a light blue aura as it propelled towards Korumaru – hitting him directly.

Korumuru yelped in pain as he tumbled on the ground, his fighting spirit severely weakened by his type disadvantage.

"Nooo! Korumaru!" Ken cried out, running over to aid his comrade.

"Korumaru's Persona type is Fire! Meaning that he's weak against Charlotte's Water abilities!" Rise warned them.

"How dare you harm our teammate like that!" Kasumi yelled. She summoned her Persona – Cendrillon, and initiated an all-out Bless attack with  _Kougaon,_ firing a blast of light against Charlotte. Kasumi let out a shocked look when Charlotte came out from the attack unscathed. "H-Huh? Why didn't my attack work?"

"Is she invulnerable to Kasumi's Bless attacks – in addition to having a type advantage against Korumaru's Fire abilities?" Morgana expressed in frustration, taking a moment to dodge another one of Charlotte's  _Aquadyne_  attack. "Come on, Rise! We need more insight against Charlotte. We're not going anywhere with our attacks!"

"Sorry! I think I've finally figured out something!" Rise answered, finalizing the details to Charlotte's abilities. "Electric attacks may be super-effective against her Persona!"

"I'm on the case!" Ken responded. Immediately, he summoned Kala-Nemi and initiated an heavy electric spell of  _Ziodyne,_ striking both Charlotte and Seiryu with a strong thunder bolt.

" _ **GRRRGH! Your silly attacks won't do much when you're in my playground!"**_ Charlotte shouted. Using Seiryu's powers once again, Charlotte casted a spell of  _Fear Torrent,_ utilizing the water around them to power up the attack. Seiryu blasted a powerful torrent of water towards Ken and Kala-Nemi, hitting them directly and knocking both far off into the distance.

"KEEN!" Yukari cried out to him. She and Korumaru began to rush over to where he had fallen. "Come on, you gotta get up! Come on, Ken!"

"Bark bark!" Korumaru yelped as he tried to get his master's attention, yet to no avail.

"Standby Yukari and Korumaru - tend to Ken right now. We'll keep Charlotte and her bastard dragon busy!" Morgana called out to them.

" _ **Hmph! None of you have learned when to give up your useless tactics against me! How stubborn can your team be?"**_ Charlottewarned them, preparing another attack with her monstrous water Persona. Suddenly, a cold breeze enveloped around the pocket dimension. The breeze became stronger as the an icy blast of  _Mabufudyne_ struck the Persona team.

"GAAAH!" Kasumi and Rise yelped, knocked off their feet by the blast of snow that came from Charlotte's direction.

"Noooo!" Yukari screamed in distress. She attempted to kneel down and cover Ken's body to protect him from the frigid attack.

"BARK!" Korumaru jumped in front of the duo, summoning  _Cerberus_ as he countered the cold blast with a fiery  _Agidyne_ attack. The snow immediately melted upon contact with the stream of fire.

"Phew… Thanks Korumaru!" Yukari gave her appreciation by petting Korumaru's head, much to his pleasure.

"Oooof… I wasn't expecting  _that_ kind of force at me." Ken groaned, taking a moment to recover from the previous water blast from Charlotte.

"Ken, you need to stand down for now – that was a powerful move that you just took." Yukari advised him, motioning him to She turned back to the others, watching as they continued fighting against Charlotte's "Dang…. As if she's able to throw both water  _and_ ice abilities! Her Persona is super strong!"

Korumaru growled as he ran back into the fray, joining Kasumi and Rise as they utilized their Persona abilities to fight back.

"Korumaru!" Ken yelled over to his friend.

"I'm sure he can handle himself, Ken." Yukari assured him.

"I know… But Charlotte's powers. They're none that we've ever seen before." Ken explained to Yukari. "I just sense that she's fueled with so much hate in her spirit. That type of recklessness can hold no boundaries to her abilities and what she's willing to do to win."

"There's gotta be a way to stop her." Yukari replied, attempting to remain optimistic.

"Cendrillon! Keep firing away!" Kasumi commaned, utilizing her Persona's abilities to fire a barrage of Bless attacks – none seeming to do any effective damage towards Charlotte whatsoever. "Come on! Why isn't anything working?"

"It seems that Charlotte is absorbing the energy from within this realm, which is making her attacks stronger and defenses sturdy." Rise explained, providing her insight from Kouzeon's scanning abilities.

"Morgana… Charlotte's powers are too powerful in this world. We are no match if we remain in this pocket dimension of hers." Justine told him. "I'm afraid this battle will be fruitless for our team."

"We… We can't give up! If we don't stop Charlotte's powers, then she'll continue to harass Ren and Ann in reality!" Morgana reminded her. "There's got to be a way to stop her. We  _have_ to figure something out!"

"I'm… uncertain of a solution, Mona." Justine confessed. She began to see their situation as hopeless, and the more she thought about her own sister being used as the shadow's puppet, the more reluctant she became in fighting against them.

"Damn it… There's gotta be a way to incapacitate this annoying shadow! Think!" Morgana gritted his teeth as he argued to himself. As Rise mentioned, if they stayed within the shadow's home domain, they stood no chance in beating them.

There had to be a way out of this.

Morgana looked down to his Spirit Amulet, wondering if he could harness it's powers once more. All this time, he had been collecting energy for it. Surely it had some use in this situation, right?

"We were able to use it's powers before. With more of it's attributes unlocked, there has to be stronger capabilities with it, right?" Morgana said to himself. He remembered the time Justine had been able to utilize it's abilities through Morgana's understanding of it's powers, as well as helping Kasumi awaken her powers.

This time though – Morgana needed to invest all of his belief into this energy to stop the shadow.

Even if it meant that he wouldn't make it out in one piece.

Looking over to his Persona teammates, Morgana noted the wear that they were showing in this battle. This wasn't fair to them, Morgana thought. This whole time he had taken advantage of their abilities for a personal affair they none of them were ever really invested in to begin with. Although, he was grateful for their willingness to lend a helping hand – but if this battle kept up for them, they would surely suffer an untimely demise.

If Morgana wanted them to make out of this alive, he needed to act fast.

Recalling on his previous experience in utilizing the amulet's powers – Morgana began to think about the main foundation of it's purpose – the growth of Ren and Ann's relationship.

"Ren – that guy has been there to help me out in so many ways before," Morgana spoke to himself, taking a moment to recollect his memories of his friend. Ren was the one to house him when Morgana had no where to go, the one who would listen to Morgana's endless thoughts and ramblings. The pair had been such a dynamic duo throughout their days as the Phantom Thieves in reality.

And Ann – Morgana could remember the first time ever laying eyes on her in reality. Not only did she look stunning, but her heart was beautiful as well with her passion towards her friends and the kindness she exhibited to others. Morgana's desire to be with Ann had fallen apart with Ren being in the picture, but throughout the last few months seeing her love blossom for Ren – Morgana knew that she was happy.

And there was no other person he would've wanted Ann to be with than Ren – one of the closest people he shared a bond with.

Morgana took a moment to look down to his Spirit Amulet – the six attributes he had learned about relationships through Ren and Ann's bond –  _joy, service, loyalty, kindness, honesty and patience_ – this attribute now resting within his own spirit - each one provided a greater understanding of what a true love for someone entailed.

"I haven't learned all the attributes yet, but I feel as if I already understand the entirety of Ren and Ann's relationship." Morgana said to himself. Their relationship had gone through so many issues in the past – but Morgana knew of the sacrifices they made for each other.

Morgana reflected earlier to the gallery his team had passed through before making their way into Charlotte's dimension - with each painting depicting a happy memory for the couple...

_Ann's listening ear to Ren as he currently faced backlash from his own parents – giving him a shoulder to lean and cry on._

_To their intimate moment on the beach where Ren gave their matching heart necklaces to Ann, symbolizing their dedication to each other._

_The time they danced and sang together in front of thousands at Destinyland._

_Ren's dedication to convince Yukari to give Ann the Featherman role she desired, as well as his romantic sweets surprise for Ann upon Haru's brand new coffee shop in Kyoto._

_Their special moment atop the ferris wheel at Seaside Park – both promising to lean onto and stay by each other's side._

_And even to their first ever encounter that fateful rainy day during Ren's first couple days in Tokyo._

With this knowledge of their bond – Morgana could muster up the strength for this next decision he was about to make – a sacrifice he was willing to endure in order for his friends to truly be happy.

_They are worth fighting for._

An energy began to surge through Morgana as six of the amulet's stones began to glow. Each stone began to glow in its respective color, a light flying out from each one. They began to circle around Morgana as he began to harness the amulet's powers – eventually the lights shooting themselves into his body as it began to glow white.

"What the - what's up with Morgana?" Ken asked, pointing his attention for Yukari.

"Huh? Is he going super saiyan or something? Yukari commented.

"His energy levels! They're going off the charts!" Rise said, shocked when her Persona's powers monitored Morgana's rising power.

"Mona-chan…?" Justine could only look in awe as Morgana continued glowing.

"You've become a nuisance since the very beginning of this journey," Morgan began to convict Charlotte as she approached him. His pupils began to glow white as the aura around him continued lighting off with power. "Ren and Ann deserve to thrive in their relationship peacefully without your annoying presence to wreck what they have! I'm gonna make sure that this is the last time you disrupt their bond!"

" _ **How foolish of you to sacrifice so much of your effort on your friends? What can you possibly gain from investing in their relationship?"**_ Charlotte spoke down to him.

"It's called being  _selfless_  – something you can't possibly comprehend!" Morgana quickly retorted back. "And speak for your damn self! You've invested  _so_ much of your own existence trying to tear them apart! It's time to end your futile envy against them!"

Suddenly – as if a voice in his head was commanding him, Morgana removed the Spirit Amulet and threw it over to Kasumi, much to her surprise.

"Mona-chan? What's going on? Why are you giving me this?" Kasumi yelled over to him, looking at the Spirit Amulet in hand in confusion. She stood alongside Rise and Korumaru – all three of them showing signs of weariness as Charlotte calmly approached them with her water Persona  _Seirya_  – intending to finish them off.

"Kasumi… Please… keep watch of Ren and Ann for me, will you?" Morgana said, giving her a calm, yet uneasy look.

"H-Huh? Why are you saying that?" Kasumi looked at him with surprise. "Mona-chan, that doesn't sound assuring at all!"

"Please… Don't let any of this go to vain, Kasumi." Morgana told her, remaining calm as he looked over to her with a sense of peace now settling on his face. "Don't worry about me – 'cause once this is over, Ren and Ann will finally be able to live out their relationship in peace. Just… let them know that I'll be okay."

Morgana turned over to Justine, giving him one final request.

"Justine… please, get yourself and the others to safety. I can handle the rest."

"W-Wait! Morgana-" Kasumi yelled out, reaching at hand towards him.

Before she could ask any further questions, Justine utilized her Velvet Room powers and transported Kasumi and others out of the pocket dimension they were in. Each Persona user vanished in a bright flash of white light, leaving only Morgana and Justine.

"Huh?J-Justine? I told you to go with everyone else! Why did you stay?" Morgana gave a surprised look as she stood alongside him.

"I still feel Caroline's presence among the shadow's – regardless if her life force is being used as it's puppet. I feel as I should be here to see the end of things with her." Justin explained.

Morgana nodded, understanding Justine's loyalty to her sister. Even in supposed death, Justine wanted to be with Caroline until the end of the line – even if it meant for her own end as well.

"I know what you are doing, Mona. Are you sure your own spirit is ready for this?" Justine asked him.

"This whole time in discovering the attributes to the Spirit Amulet – I feel as if I've been preparing for this moment from the very beginning when you and Caroline summoned me." Morgana responded, accepting this eventual fate he would succumb along with Justine. "This is all for Ren and Ann. I've laid down  _so_  much on the line for them – learning about how their relationship worked, going through this dramatic spirit palace and fighting against these shadows that threatened their bond – using their friends and family in reality to tear them apart. Well – no more of that! This time it  _all_ ends!"

Justine nodded to him as she summoned Jack Frost with them – the Persona's ice abilities required to initiate the plan they were about to pull off.

"...they can finally be happy together. With this jerk that's going to soon be out of the picture." Morgana commented,

" _ **Nothing is going to stop me from tearing your precious Trickster and Lover apart!"**_ Charlotte yelled. Her eyes began to glow yellow as she began to absorb more energy from the dimension they stood in. Seiryu floated above her as it began to outline itself in a blue glow - signaling that it was charging up a final attack to finish off the duo.

"Yeah yeah yeah, we've heard enough of how you're jealous about them. Seriously, you sound like a broken record, you know?" Morgana scoffed at Charlotte. He turned over to Justine as he nodded to her. "Alright! You ready to finish this?"

"It's been an honor working with you, Morgana." Justine said, giving him one final smirk – a gesture she realized she'd never done. She took one final look at Charlotte – reminding herself that it had taken Caroline's life force for its own personal use. "This shadow will finally pay for what it's done to my sister. And maybe – she can finally rest in peace."

Charlotte immediately retaliated as she utilized Seriyu's abilities to fire a powerful blast of water at the duo. Morgana and Justine skillfully dodged the attack as they both stood off to the side, surrounding Charlotte.

"Give it everything you've got, Mercurius!" Morgana shouted. He utilized his Persona's wind abilities to conjure up a powerful blast of wind, taking up across the entire dimension and swirling it up in the air – surrounding all of them in a giant whirlpool. His powers to create this windstorm were amplified by the energy he absorbed from the Spirit Amulet earlier.

"Freeze her!" Justine commanded Jack Frost, firing a strong shot of  _Bufudyne_ at Charlotte.

" _ **How ignorant of you to attack me with the nature I possess strongly in this dimension!"**_ Charlotte growled. She summoned Seiryu once more to charge up an almighty blizzard within the dimension, causing every corner of the realm to be engulfed in a snowstorm. " _ **Let me present to you the true power of my abilities!"**_

"COME ON! FOCUS!" Morgana yelled, pushing his Persona's abilities past its limit. The wind carrying the whirlpool, now turned blizzard – continued circling around the trio as Morgana focused the storm and ensured Charlotte was in the centre. It was if Morgana himself was now controlling the environment.

The entire dimension continued to roar with bombardment of snow. The air around them quickly began to freeze due to the rapidity of the wind – even to the point of freezing Morgana's fur upon his skin.

"Now! Initiate Absolute Zero!" Justine utilized Jack Frost's strongest ice ability and commanded her Persona to shoot out a blue light from it's body. The light quickly floated up and disappeared into the sky of the dimension.

At the same time, Morgana commanded the wind to thrust directly towards where they stood, causing the blizzard around to press its full force and pressure onto them. The blue light previously shot out from Jack Frost immediately fell into the centre of where the blizzard was at, causing a giant explosion of snow and dust to erupt from where the three stood, freezing every inch and corner of the dimension.

As the snow dust cleared, all that was left within the dimension was a vast ocean of ice – created by the combined powers of Morgana's amplified wind powers, Justine's ice spell and Charlotte's uncontrollable water powers.

Morgana, Justine and Charlotte were no where to be found.

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Yoshizawa Residence,** _   
_**Kasumi's Bedroom** _

"Gaah!" Kasumi awoke in fright, siting up from her bed. She took a moment to bare her surroundings, surprised to find herself in her own bed and dressed in her sleep attire – the place where she was previously before being summoned by Justine to the Spirit Palace for their most recent mission.

Kasumi felt an object grasped within her hands. Surprised, she slowly opened her hand and found a familiar artifact in it.

"This amulet – it's Morgana's," Kasumi said to herself, taking a moment to feel her finger around the stones etched within the artifact. Right now, six of its eight stones currently glowed. "He said that each stone presented an attribute regarding relationships – specifically Ren and Ann's, right?"

Kasumi's thought process immediately shifted towards Morgana. What happened to him? Was he still stuck within the shadow's dimension with Justine? Did they end up stopping the powers of Charlotte once and for all?

Morgana's words began to echo into Kasumi's mind.

_Kasumi… Please… keep watch of Ren and Ann for me, will you?_

"What did he mean by that? W-Why did he ask me to watch over them?" Kasumi questioned. With no idea what happened, or anyway to contact the other Persona team – Kasumi was at a loss of what to do next.

Was Morgana… gone forever?

_**.** _

_**..** _

_**…** _

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	25. Take Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A change of heart occurs within Ren and Ann's situation. Kasumi must deal with the aftermath of Morgana's sacrifice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi again fellow reader! Sorry for the delay with the release of this chapter - was super occupied with Pokemon Sword and Shield over the weekend. I've already plugged in about 12 hours of gameplay with plenty more to be invested heh.
> 
> As presented last week - the Persona team managed to defeat Charlotte, the Shadow enemy that had been plaguing Ren and Ann's relationship through the means of reality and their loved ones - at the cost of Morgana and Justine. Yet, the dynamic of this story has changed with Morgana's disappearance and Kasumi taking front and centre while she continues the duty in protecting Ren and Ann's relationship, learning more about their bond and eventually completing the Spirit Amulet - the main item that's been focused throughout this entire fic and the reason why the couple have been going through so much in the past few months. Everything will pay off once we near the climax!
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Cheers!

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 25: TAKE OVER**

* * *

 **\- OCTOBER -  
** **Kyoto, Japan  
** **Okumaru Cafe  
** **Evening**

Closing time approached as the cafe staff began cleaning up. Customers who came by to study and relax began to make their way out the doors. Ren and Ann were the last to remain in the shop. Countless empty dessert plates laid on the table in front of them as they continued to recuperate from their rejection by Ren's parents.

"I know you love sweets and all, but this is the first time I've ever seen you consume  _this_ much." Ren commented, sitting beside Ann as he continued to rub her back in a comforting manner.

"I'm just super stressed right now, babe." Ann moaned. She laid her head on her arms as she rested them on the table. After a considerable amount of time crying over Ren's parents a few hours earlier, Ann needed a distraction and her sweet tooth immediately took over as she indulged in the cafe's various sweets.

"Hey Ren! Sorry to bother, but the cafe is closing up soon," one of the workers reminded them. "I'd suggest getting out soon, unless you're willing to do some overtime tonight, hahah."

"Heheh, no worries. We'll be heading out soon." Ren responded as he waved over to his co-worker. He turned back to face Ann as she slumped back in her seat and sighed. "So… what's you're plan? I can walk you back to the train station – but it's pretty late right now. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you by yourself on the train. Some crazy people usually hang out within the carts during this time."

"Ugh… I'm not sure either. I don't even know if I'll be able to make it for school tomorrow morning. Let alone be able to sleep tonight after what just happened." Ann confessed, turning over to her boyfriend and giving him a worried look. "And I can't go home knowing that you'll have no where else to go for tonight. Your father still kicked you out of your own home! How can I rest well knowing you'll be by yourself for the night?"

"Ann, I'll be okay. I'll figure something out." Ren tried to reassure Ann. "And besides, I have Morgana with me."

"Speaking of Morgana, where did he go?" Ann said, taking a moment to look around the cafe. "I hadn't heard his voice or seen him the whole night."

"Must've went out for a walk outside. I mean, he was also pretty heated about our confrontation with my parents as well." Ren brought up. "Don't worry, I'll go look out for him once we figure out what you'll do."

"Umm... I don't wanna go home today though. I'd rather stay with you here until we can fix this." Ann confessed. She took a moment to latch onto Ren's arm and rested her head atop his shoulder. She sighed, as if letting out the weight of stress from her mind. "Why can't our relationship be easy? All I ever want is to just be happy with you, but it seems that once one thing gets resolved, another problem pops up. It's honestly frustrating sometimes, babe."

"Well, to be honest, this  _is_ our first relationship, right?" Ren reminded her. "Neither of us have gone through these types of obstacles before. Our only prior experience is through romance movies or seeing others in their own relationships. Of course it'll be overwhelming at first, but we have a chance to learn from these experiences."

"I know… Still, it doesn't make it any easier for us." Ann sighed. She sat back up and took a moment to look at Ren as she fixed his collar. "I'm just glad I have you as my rock to remain optimistic. You always seems to be so confident when things get rough."

"One thing that I learned is that patience is truly a virtue, especially in relationships like ours." Ren commented. He smiled over to Ann. "Besides, shouldn't you be the expert on waiting? I did make you wait for almost two months when I turned myself into the police around Christmas last year."

"Well, yeah… I guess I did." Ann sighed, blushing at her own words as she reflected on what she told him that Valentines Day. "Heheh, what a night that was."

"What can I say - I'm worth waiting for, am I right?" Ren teased her yet again.

"Oh please, you're giving your self too much credit." Ann rolled her eyes, before playfully poking him in the side. "You're lucky I didn't choose to smack you when you said I was too heavy."

"I'm surprised you didn't go through with it."

"I didn't want to interrupt our moment together! We were totally into it and-"

"Uhm… So are y'all done talking here or…?" the cafe worker caught the couple by surprise as they just noticed the lights to the cafe were closed and the tables and chairs were propped up.

"Ohh… Uhm, sorry! We'll head out now!" Ann giggled with embarrassment as she blushed. Deep down, she was glad that their conversation hadn't gone into further detail – otherwise things would have been even  _more_ awkward with the cafe worker.

Ren gave a tip to his co-worker, bidding the team well and rushed out of the cafe with Ann. Before the duo took the opportunity to look for Morgana, Ren's phone began to ring. Taking it out, his face almost turned white at the caller ID.

"It's… my father." Ren told Ann, much to her surprise as well.

"Why…. Why is he calling you now?" Ann said, covering her mouth in shock.

The two simply stood their in silence, allowing Ren's phone to continue ringing for what seemed like an eternity. The couple looked at each other, silently exchanging facial expressions as the figured out what to do. Eventually, Ren took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to answer the call, slowly raising his cell phone

"Hello…?"

"Son? It's your father. I...I'd like to talk you right now. Please… come home." Mr. Amamiya's voice echoed out from the other side of the call. "And... bring Ann if she's still there. I'd like to talk to her as well."

"W-Why? Didn't you say you never wanted to see us again just a few hours ago?" Ren brought up. His fingers began to tighten around his phone, anxiety pumping through his blood once more as the effects of their previous argument still lingered.

"I know… But now I realize…. I was wrong." Mr. Amamiya confessed. "Please… It's a long story… Just come home son. Please..."

Ren's eyes widened as he heard his father attempt to hold back tears on the phone call. Knowing his own father, Ren knew that he barely cried – which meant that his father was truly being genuine on his word. Ren took a moment to look over to Ann in order to gain input from her.

Ann was just as confused from Mr. Amamiya's words, but gave Ren a gentle nod of the head – sensing that this was an opportunity for them to hash out their current drama between their family.

"O-Okay. Ann and I will be there soon." Ren finally answered.

"Thank you… Your mother and I will be waiting." Mr. Amamiya answered, a sense of relief coming from his voice.

Ren ended the call and stared at his blank phone screen for a moment, still attempting to comprehend what had just occurred. Did his father really take the time to reach out to him? Especially after their heated argument? Was this some sort of sick trick? And why did he sound so distraught? Did he perhaps want to make amends with his Ren?

"H-How? Why?" Ann spoke out in awe - the action of Ren's father reaching out to him still perplexing her mind as well.

"I guess we'll find out soon." Ren answered.

Taking Ann's hand into his, Ren led them down the quiet night streets of Kyoto as they both mentally prepare themselves for the sudden confrontation of his parents at home once again.

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Kyoto, Japan** _   
_**Amamiya Residence  
Late Evening** _

Ren and Ann made their way to his home, being greeted by Ren's mother who guided them into the dining room where his father waited for all of them. The entire household remained in silence as the parties sat there for a moment, not being able to speak a word to each other. On one side of the table Ren and Ann sat close together, unsure of what was going on. The other side faced both Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya. Neither pair seemed to be able to stare at one another without it feeling awkward.

"Ren-kun… There's something that your father and I wanted to say." Mrs. Amamiya began, breaking the silence between them. "We… had a lot of time to reflect while you and Ann had left."

Ren didn't answer, remaining in his position as he faced downwards, both hands on his lap as he avoided eye contact with his father He felt the hand of Ann grab his as she tightly squeezed it in order to show her support.

"Son…. I…. I'm… so-sorry." Mr. Amamiya expressed. His hands began to tremble atop the dining room table as a sudden wave of regret began to fill his soul. Mrs. Amamiya took a moment to pat her husband on the back as he began to weep, all while letting out a sudden wave of guilt from his spirit.

Ren was unable to look up, still unable to fathom what was happening right now. His father was now apologizing? After holding so much anger towards Ren and Ann's relationship for days, his father  _now_ decided to express his guilt in being spiteful towards them? How was any of this possible within the span of a couple hours?

"I… I shouldn't have lashed out on you or Ann. These past few days I've been such a selfish and terrible father to you," Mr. Amamiya began. He clenched both fists together on the table as he continued allowing the tears to flow from his face.

Ren remained silent, allowing his father to continue expressing his own sorrow regarding his actions. Ann did the same thing, keeping her head turned away from Mr. Amamiya and facing towards her boyfriend.

"I have… failed you as a parent. I did not understand how much freedom I was withholding from you by the strict rule I applied of not having a relationship," Mr. Amamiya continued, taking a moment to take off his glasses as he gently set them aside, wiping away his tears with his own handkerchief.

Ren still couldn't believe his father's words. But by the tone of his voice, he sounded so genuine in his apology. Ren felt the grief in his father's actions. At first, Ren was unsure if he really did want to forgive his own father, reminding himself of the turmoil their entire family experienced in the past few days.

But the words of Ann's parent's echoed into his mind, humbling Ren…

...

_"With patience and perseverance in our relationship, as well as the support for each other – Ann's mother and I managed to gain the approval of our respective families." Mr. Takamaki assured." Mr. Takamaki explained to Ren. "Please – I understand that right now you are going through a trial with your own parents. But I can guarantee that if they truly love you, they'll learn to put aside their differences and accept your relationship with Ann that we have blessed you with."_

…

To be patient and persevere throughout time. Ren had been waiting so long to confess his relationship with Ann ever since last year. This burden he had on his shoulder, now released when his parents found out themselves. Sure – this drama eventually exploded into another huge mess with Ren's father claiming to disown his son, which Ren was slowly accepting. But now this waiting was over. The desire for his relationship with Ann to be accepted by his parents was now coming to fruition.

Ren needed to humble himself. As much as he wanted to argue back at his father for the actions he had done to him the past weekend, Ren had to remind himself of the years prior that his father raised him in his own household. Ren couldn't take those experiences for granted. All his father wanted was to raise his son to become a righteous man – focused on his studies and to be successful in his own path.

This opportunity to fix things with his father – Ren needed hold onto this chance and make amends.

"Father… I… understand why you initially felt so angry with me," Ren finally began to speak, slowly looking back up to his father as he watched him continue to wipe away tears. "I know that everything you've done for our family was a sacrifice. You put so much time and effort into making our lives comfortable. And all you wanted was the best for my life. Hiding this relationship I have with Ann felt like I was stabbing your back."

Ann and his parents continued listening to Ren as he expressed his own emotion.

"A good man once told me that patience was important for those we love, including our own family members. Another one told me of how selfless he was of allowing his friend to pursue a relationship, even though he truly loved the other one, knowing that he just wanted the best for them," Ren continued on, referring to both Ann's father and Morgana. "They've been wise on their words and helped me come to realize this fact. The test of patience is the hardest to overcome with those we love – but the end result is worth the wait. Timing is important, and given the chance to reflect on our actions helps to understand this love we have for one another."

Ren took a deep breath and reached over to his father's hand, laying his own on top of his to provide reassurance.

"I forgive you father. All I want is for you to understand my devotion to Ann. She's been there to help me see the light in my situation. Please, all I ask is to just give her a chance." Ren expressed with tenderness.

"I…. promise son. I'll keep an open mind from now on. I just… feel ashamed for my actions. Towards you, towards Ann, towards our entire family." Mr. Amamiya sobbed out.

"Don't be ashamed father. We all act irrationally when driven by our emotions. I've gone through it. I've experienced it with other people. But persevering through those hard times and taking a step back to understand and communicate is key to healing. Just like how we're taking the time to talk right now." Ren reminded him.

"Ren-kun… Since when did you become so wise in relationships?" Mrs. Amamiya asked, looking at her son with both awe and pride.

"I've learned a lot recently with the new bonds I've made in Tokyo, as well with my relationship with Ann." Ren said, turning over to his girlfriend and giving her a smile. "I've also had a good friend remind me of these things."

For a moment, Ren's mind thought about Morgana, remembering that he was possibly still out there in Kyoto. He made a mental note to look out for him as soon as he finished his discussion with his family.

"Amamiya-san… If I may say something," Ann suddenly spoke up to Ren's father. "Your son, he's been such a light in our own circle of friends back in Tokyo. He has always shown a strong dedication to those close to him. And I believe that he wants to exhibit that same dedication to you as well. I understand that the time your family has spent separated from one another the past year has caused some strain in your bonds, but please remember that you are family.

"I see…." Mr. Amamiya answered, listening to what Ann wanted to express.

"I've been through issues with my own parents too – having them always going out of the country for their job. I've felt lonely so many times, even feeling angry that they couldn't spend as much time with me," Ann began to explain in order to help Mr. Amamiya gain new light on her situation. "But I always knew that these sacrifices that they made were for our family's benefit. To become good role models not just for others around the world, but for me as well. That being patient with one another was an important lesson to remind ourselves."

"I… wasn't aware of your situation, Ann." Mr. Amamiya replied. For the first time ever, he was able to look over to Ann with understanding eyes. "Takamaki-san, please accept my apology. I went extremely out of line for judging your character. I had acted upon rash emotions."

"Amamiya-san, I understand why you acted like this. You're looking out for your son – doing whatever means necessary to protect him," Ann spoke, taking the time to explain her thoughts. "However, I will be honest - what you said about me did hurt."

Mr. Amamiya lowered his head, shame filling his heart once more at the utterance of Ann's troubles due to his own actions.

"But I am willing to look past that if we can move forward. To move together as one unit. I will forgive you for all of this, Amamiya-san." Ann reassured him in a comforting tone.

"Th-Thank you… I'm so sorry for everything that I said to you. Please give me time to make things right with you." Mr. Amamiya apologized once more. His heart had been overwhelmed with gratitude, unable to comprehend the fact that both Ren and Ann were able to forgive him for his aggressive and uncalled behaviour. "I promise… I promise to do better for all of us."

"Father, Ann is my girlfriend – that is a fact that I simply want you and mom to accept," Ren further explained, hoping to get the point across fully. "All I want is your support. I do believe that you and Ann will be able to look eye to eye with each other. She generally cares for others and thinks of their well-being more than herself."

"I understand son," Mr. Amamiya complied, having calmed down from his breakdown. "I am willing to move forward. Willing to build a relationship with Ann. Knowing that she was the first person to greet you without judgmental eyes in Tokyo – I am grateful of her acceptance of you, regardless of the false image imprinted on you beforehand."

"We're a family. We must take the time to work together on these issues. To communicate what may bother us and figure out a resolution that will strengthen our bond overall." Mrs. Amamiya expressed. She managed to relax in her seat, finally able to rest knowing that her son and husband were now on good terms.

Ren took a deep breath, a sense of relief now surging through his spirit. After months of hiding his relationship with Ann and the fear of being judged by his parents, their family finally came to an understanding of each other's emotions and come to peace with this new dynamic.

Yet… something didn't seem to line up in Ren's mind. How this sudden resolution had came out of nowhere.

How his own father had a quick change of heart within the past few days.

Ren decided not to put too much thought process into it, deciding to dwell on the opportunity to finally push forward from this lasting issue.

"I'm looking forward to bonding with you two!" Ann suddenly chirped up to Ren's parents, her mood immediately changed to one of positivity. She managed to grow a smile on her face to help cheer everyone's spirits up. "I'm so grateful that we can finally move on to better things!"

"Yes, I pray that we may have the time to bond together, Takamaki-san." Mr. Amamiya added in, being able to face Ann with his own prejudice "I can now see how much of a blessing you are to our son, Takamaki-san. Thank you again for being his support."

"My pleasure! I'm so fortunate to have Ren in my life as well." Ann exclaimed.

In her excitement, Ann leaned over and grabbed Ren's arm as he cuddled against his shoulder. Realizing what she was doing in front of her parents, Ann jerked back into her seat in embarrassment.

"Uhmm… s-sorry! I didn't ask if that was permissible. It's still your household." Ann stuttered. "If public displays of affection isn't allowed, I can  _totally_ accommodate that rule, eheheh."

"No worries, it's quite heartwarming to see someone so happy to be with our son." Mrs. Amamiya commented, having a smile grow on her face as she saw how happy Ren and Ann appeared.

Seeing as how late it had become with their discussion, Ren's parents decided to call it a night in order to rest for the following work week. Noting that it wouldn't be safe for Ann to travel back home, they offered the guest room to her once again that she had previously used during her time to flim the Featherman movie.

"Really? I'm so grateful for your generosity." Ann said, bowing down to them in respect.

"Such a polite woman. Why did I ever have my doubts on you." Mr. Amamiya commented.

"Thank you for coming home, Ren-kun. I know it must have been rough holding back this truth, but I'm glad we've managed to meet eye to eye on this situation." Mrs. Amamiya said, taking a moment to hug Ren goodnight.

"Thanks mother." Ren replied, returning the hug back. "And thank you for remaining hopeful. I know you didn't speak out much, but I believed in your faith for me."

"I… hope we can put all this in the past, son." Mr. Amamiya spoke up to Ren once more, keeping his gaze slightly lowered as he avoided Ren's eye contact. "I'll do my best moving forward to make up for any hurt I've done to both you and Ann. She is truly a sweet girl now that I've taken the time to really think about it. Thank you for being so patient with my stubbornness."

"Of course, father. You always taught me how to persevere through the toughest of trials." Ren reminded his father. "The discipline you taught is what helped me get through my first few weeks in Tokyo.

Ren and his father shook their hands, before closing into a hug – a wave of relief overcoming both parties.

_**...** _

The group eventually split off, with Ren's parents heading off to their master bedroom while he and Ann made their way downstairs to the guest room to take a moment and reflect on the last couple hours.

Regardless of the happy resolution they encountered, Ren and Ann still had doubt in their minds.

"This…. doesn't make any sense." Ren began, sitting down at the edge of the guest bed while he went into a deep train of thought. "My father… he was always so set with his decisions and took awhile to change his mind. This just seems so… unusual for him to suddenly be so accepting of our relationship."

"But isn't that a good thing, babe?" Ann asked, sitting right beside Ren as she caressed his arm. "This is what we've wanted for so long. These past months have been so much pressure for you with hiding our relationship. Why can't we just be glad that your parents are accepting of us?"

Ren was unable to answer her. He was completely on the fence about this whole issue. His heart went back and forth on whether to feel grateful or confused.

Fortunately, he had the voice of Ann to comfort him.

"Like, I do understand your concern, babe. It's like your father had a... change of heart." Ann spoke her mind, also reconsidering the turn of events. "I mean yeah, even I feel that it's all so sudden too."

"I just wish Morgana was here to give us a different perspective. He always seemed so insightful about these things." Ren brought up.

"Oh no! Morgana!" Ann yelped, suddenly remembering that he had still yet to appear since the cafe. "We never got the chance to look for him! He hasn't even returned yet! Should we still go looking for him?"

"Morgana is capable. I trust that he can take care of himself." Ren reminded her. "Besides, I feel like he'll be right at the front door when we wake up tomorrow."

Ann nodded, taking a moment to rest her head on Ren's shoulder as they relaxed for the time being. Things had been rough for the past couple days, but now they could finally rest now that their relationships among their parents were settled.

"Come on, babe, this is a gift. A blessing, to be more accurate," Ann reassured him once more. "Maybe we shouldn't dwell on it too much. Things are finally okay with you and your parents. We can move on now and focus on the future, okay?"

"The future, hmm?" Ren repeated.

"Yeah… the future!" Ann happily said. "Like how we'll be graduating soon, remember? We've still got a lot of time together to figure things out. Our relationship and our own growth doesn't stop here right?"

Ren smiled. Listening to the way Ann talked about their future together made him see the light in the coming days. Ann was committed to remaining with Ren and tackling whatever problems would be thrown their way. The couple had both come a long way in their relationship, and just like how Ann saw it – Ren envisioned many more days with each other to prosper in their bond.

"Yeah… hey, wanna join me tonight?" Ren offered, patting behind to the guest bed they both sat on.

"As much as I'd love to – maybe not with your parents in the same house, eheh." Ann brought up, yet blushing at the thought of cuddling together with Ren for an entire night. "It's still their household we're under. We don't want to push our luck too much."

"As long as we're quiet, they won't know." Ren assured. He immediately grasped his arms around Ann's waist as he rolled the both of them onto the bed, much to his girlfriend's amusement as she giggled. The two wrapped around the blankets around them as they held each other closely, ready for a well-deserved rest.

"Everything will be okay, Ren. As long as we're together, nothing is going to stop us." Ann affirmed to him.

"Mmhm… As long as we're together." Ren repeated.

The two gave each other a goodnight kiss before dozing off - peace settling within their hearts.

* * *

_**\- OCTOBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Shujin Academy  
After School** _

Kasumi walked through the halls of Shujin Academy – fitted into her sports wear as she headed to the gymnasium for gymnastics practice after class. Her mind still lingered on the events of last night – recalling the battle she partook with Morgana and the other Persona users.

The outcome of the battle still bothered Kasumi. Awakening with Morgana's amulet within her grasp made Kasumi worry about his well-being. Was he alright? The last words he had spoken to her left an ominous feeling...

...

" _Kasumi… Please… keep watch on Ren and Ann for me, will you?" Morgana said, giving her a calm, yet uneasy look._

" _H-Huh? Why are you saying that?" Kasumi looked at him with surprise. "Mona-chan, that doesn't sound assuring at all!"_

" _Please… Don't let any of this go to vain, Kasumi." Morgana told her, remaining calm as he looked over to her with a sense of peace now settling on his face. "Don't worry about me – 'cause once this is over, Ren and Ann will finally be able to live out their relationship in peace. Just… let them know that I'll be okay."_ _ **  
**_

…

What did he mean by that? And how was Kasumi going to break this news to Ren and Ann? That Morgana may not possibly return? This entire issue had given Kasumi a headache as she was unable to focus in her classes throughout the day.

If only she had some way to contact the other Persona users – or have a way to access the Spirit Palace once more. But without Justine's powers, Kasumi and the others were stuck within their own reality, left to ponder on Morgana's fate.

"Heeeeey there!" Futaba's excited voice suddenly surprised Kasumi, causing her to yelp in shock as she turned around. "Yoshizawa-san! What's up with you lately? Felt like you weren't all there during class this morning."

"Ohh.. uhm, nothing much. Just stressed out with everything going on in school at the moment, ahahah." Kasumi tried to reassure Futaba.

"Huh, okay. Any chance you know what happened to Ann? I hadn't seen her all day." Futaba asked.

"Ohh, didn't you get the message in our group chat? Ann said she would be going with Ren for an important meeting with her parents." Kasumi reminded her.

"Ahhh right, I totally forgot about that!" Futaba playfully smacked herself on the forehead. Her attention quickly diverted to the Spirit Amulet that Kasumi wore around her neck. "Hey! What's the super-cool artifact you've got around your neck? I've never seen you wear that before."

"Huh? Oh, uhhh, y-you mean this piece of garbage? It's nothing really, ahahahah." Kasumi tried to redirect Futaba's attention as she hastily tucked the Spirit Amulet underneath her gym shirt.

"For something that's garbage, it  _totally_  looks like a treasure that came out of an Indiana Jones movie!" Futaba continued to joke. "Are you sure you didn't steal it or anything? Perhaps you're a Phantom Thief yourself!"

"A Ph-Ph-Phantom Thief?! N-No! Of course not! How could I be one?"

"Just teasing with you, Yoshizawa-san!" Futaba laughed, amused by Kasumi's reaction. "Believe me, I would know a thing or two on whether  _those_ guys would be up to anything at the moment."

"Oh, I  _definitely_  believe you, Futaba. What are you – some obsessed Phantom Thief fan or their secret tech specialist?" Kasumied teased back.

"Gaah- N-No! Of course not!" Futaba suddenly defended herself, realizing how obvious she might have let on with her connection to the group. "L-Let's end this talk! I'm heading home now! Byeeeee!"

Kasumi gave a perplexed look, watching as Futaba rushed through the hallway towards the school's exit. She immediately began to piece Futaba's reaction to the

Did Futaba know who the Phantom Thieves were? And with her close ties with Morgana, did she also know his ability to talk? Morgana hadn't brought up anything regarding their friend's being connected to the Phantom Thieves whatsoever - even though the group seemed to talk about them all the time,  _especially_ Ryuji. Regardless, all signs towards those facts were pretty obvious given Kasumi's new perspective on this situation.

"Hmm, I could be a great detective if I wanted to, heheh." Kasumi amused herself. She resumed her trek back to the gymnasium before she was stopped by a familiar boy in the middle of the hallway.

Ken Amada.

"W-What are you doing here?" Kasumi asked him, giving a surprised look.

"I wanted to meet up with Shiho for a bit before her volleyball practice," Ken answered, making his way over to Kasumi. "And you're the only one I'm able to reach out to directly about what happened last night."

Ken looked down to Kasumi's neck, seeing a part of Morgana's Spirit Amulet sticking out from

"D-Did Morgana give that to you? Why did he?" Ken asked.

"I'm not sure. It's been bothering me the entire day," Kasumi shrugged her shoulders. "I… I just hope he's okay. All I remember is being covered by a bright flash of light from Justine's spell – then waking up in my bedroom as if time hadn't passed at all in our world. Then found his amulet grasped within my hand."

"It doesn't make much sense," Ken rubbed his chin, reflecting on his own journey ever since teaming up with Morgana a couple months ago. "Morgana's entire mission was centred on gathering those attributes for the amulet bestowed upon him. Why would he suddenly throw all of his progress away?"

"Well, all he told me was to watch over Ren and Ann for him. It's like… he was saying goodbye." Kasumi lowered her head, suddenly feeling a wave of despair from her own words. She couldn't fathom with the possibility that her friend was gone. "W-What do we do, Ken? Is there anyway we can go back? To see if Morgana is okay?"

"I'm… afraid not. I have no concrete understanding on how the world of the Spirit Palace works, nor have any access myself to that dimension." Ken sadly expressed. "I had always relied on Justine's abilities whenever she summoned us. But without knowing their fate with their battle against Charlotte, I've got nothing for us."

Kasumi and Ken both stood within the silent hallway of Shujin. Was this it for them? After so many adventures within the Spirit Palace to aid Morgana's mission – it was all suddenly done with? They never even had a proper goodbye to their mentor. And with no knowledge of Morgana's fate, things were left uneasy in their minds. They sought out closure in this case – but as of now, it did not seem likely at this point.

"Yoshizawa-san, my best advice for you is to honour Morgana's wishes for now." Ken suggested. "He gave his amulet to you for a reason. All we can do is move on and hope that Morgana's efforts in protecting Ren and Ann's bond doesn't go to vain."

"So… that's it? We're done?" Kasumi expressed. "T-There's got to be more to this story. It… it can't end like this."

"I'll talk with Yukari and Rise… maybe gain additional input from them. But yeah, right now, we're finished." Ken shook his head, also disappointed at this truth he imparted to her. "If we're lucky, maybe we'll hear something from Morgana and Justine. But as of now, all we can do is be patient."

Kasumi sighed and eventually said her goodbye to Ken as he made his way back home. She took a moment to take the amulet out from her shirt and stared at the eight stones. Six of them began to glow, each symbolizing the troubles and effort Morgana had gone through in order to understand each attribute.

 _Joy… Service… Loyalty… Kindness… Honesty… Patience._  The attributes required to define what made a relationship so strong.

Kasumi looked over to the remaining two stones that did not light up. She took a moment to remember the remaining attributes Morgana told his team that he still required to learn.

Common Purpose – and Love.

"Morgana said that if he was able to obtain all these attributes, then he would be able to unlock unlimited power from this amulet. And this amulet – it still feels alive in my hands. Could that mean that there's still potential in learning these attributes to power it up?" Kasumi said to herself.

Would there be a possibility to learn these attributes herself?

To complete the power of the Spirit Amulet… and possibly bring Morgana back?

"There's only one way to find out."

With newfound determination, Kasumi set her mind on the next couple weeks to complete the amulet – doing it the only way that she knew how.

The only way that Morgana had done it before.

By understanding the significance of a relationship - through the example of Ren and Ann.

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	26. The Future of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A month has gone by since Morgana's sacrifice. Kasumi has a strange encounter during the Featherman premiere. Ann brings up her future with Ren and their friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello once again, fellow reader! Not much to go on with story updates, except with the motive to involve more of the rest of the Phantom Thieves in the chapters moving forward in this story as it's plot escalates, which will be pretty evident in this chapter. In terms of personal updates, just beat Pokemon Shield two days ago - and I'm really getting an itch to do a Pokemon x Persona fic sometime heh. Anways, enjoy the chapter as always! Cheers!

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 26: THE FUTURE OF US**

* * *

_**\- NOVEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Shibuya, Toyo Cinemas Theatre  
Evening** _

Shibuya street was currently lit up with activity as the premiere of the newest Featherman movie – _Rise of the Next Generation_ , was being played for a special single showing at the area's main theatre. The Featherman production crew were known to be very efficient in their craft - managing to finish post-production in a timely manner after filming in the summer.

Those involved with production were given an invitation to the red carpet event in which the finished product would be shown to the public on the last weekend of November. Since Ann had played the grand role of the movie's antagonist, she was able to extend her invite to her friends for the special showing – as well as have all of them attend the after-party at Wilton Hotel for the movie's cast and friends.

"Damn! Why are there so much people with cameras around here! I feel like I'm going blind just being around here!" Ryuji complained, walking with their group as they pushed through the crowd towards the red carpet. They currently wore their own formal attire to coincide with the fancy setting.

"Yusuke, who was that lady with the microphone you were talking to?" Makoto asked.

"No idea. But she was asking me on my experience with being in the Featherman movie." Yusuke replied.

"Huh? What the heck, Inari! You weren't even in the movie at all!" Futaba complained.

"I know – I believe she must have mistaken me for another actor."

"Psssh… Like  _anyone_  would mistake you for a movie star?" Futuba rolled her eyes. She kept her eyes peeled out into the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Yukari Takeba on the red carpet. "Where is my beautiful Pink Argus? My eyes require to feast on her appearance!"

"On a different note – I'm excited to see Ann walk down this extravagant carpet!" Haru reminded the group. "She deserves this experience after all the hard work she's put into getting this role."

"Definitely! Aren't you excited as well, Ren?" Kasumi nudged over to him. She looked over to Ren, who was deep in thought as he stared out in the space in front of him. "Ren-kun? Is something bothering you?"

"Huh…? Oh I'm sorry." Ren apologized, his mind coming back to reality as he turned to Kasumi. "I'm just thinking about Morgana again. It's been almost a month since we've seen him and I'm getting really worried."

Kasumi looked down, guilt running into her mind. For the past month since he was gone, Kasumi had been mustering up the courage to tell Ren and Ann about the whereabouts of Morgana – with his last appearance in the Spirit Palace after their group of Persona users fought against Charlotte, the shadow who was troubling Ren and Ann's bond both in reality and in their spiritual bond.

But ever since the apparent defeat of the shadow – Ren and Ann's bond seemed to be flourishing as ever. Trouble didn't seem bother their relationship anymore. With both their parents now accepting of their bond, Ren and Ann were free from pressure of hiding their affection, and could openly express their love to one another without fear of repercussions. Ann even had the chance to visit Ren's parents once again within the past month – grabbing coffee with them at Okumaru Cafe as they chatted the evening away.

Kasumi convinced herself that she was waiting the right moment to tell Ren and Ann. With their bond blossoming into a new light, she didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. Kasumi had prayed for the right timing to come, but it seemed that every opportunity evaded with school and family interfering with her plans.

 _But… I'm doing what Morgana requested me to do – to keep an eye on Ren and Ann's bond, making sure that everything is working out between them._  Kasumi reminded herself.

Still – guilt continued overwhelming Kasumi's mind from not telling the couple. They had the right to know, since the well-being of their friend mattered to them. Yet, their other friends tried to console Ren, reminding him that Morgana had played the same tactic after their battle with Yaldeboath last year, when he seemingly disappeared from reality.

 _Still… they have the right to know. It's only fair for them._ Kasumi convinced herself. Taking a deep breath, she began to confess to Ren.

"Ren… there's something that I should tell you. It's about Morgana." Kasumi began, taking a moment to prepare herself to give Ren the news about Morgana's fate.

"Really? What's up?" Ren asked.

"OOOOH! Look! The cast! They're on the red carpet!" one of the news reporters yelled.

Suddenly, the crowd of reporters and photographers around them began to make their way over to the red carpet, causing Ren and Kasumi to be pushed away into opposite directions as they were carried by the stampede.

"GAAH- Hey, watch it!" Kasumi yelped, struggling to remain balanced as she was shoved by a group of photographers, paying no attention to her pleas as they began taking photos of the Featherman cast walking along the red carpet towards the theatre.

"Huh, so you got pushed here as well, eh?" Futaba nodded over beside Kasumi. "These guys around us will literally do  _anything_ to get a good picture of the cast."

"You think so? I almost got run over." Kasumi commented, taking the time to fix her dress.

"OOOOH! CHECK IT OUT! IT'S MY AMAZING PINK ARGUS!" Futaba suddenly shouted, grasping onto Kasumi's shoulder as she shook it excitedly.

"WAAAH! Calm down, Futaba! You're gripping my arm too tight!" Kasumi yelped.

The first to walk among the red carpet was none other than Yukari Takeba – she currently dressed up in an elegant, long pink dress, a purple boa scarf to compliment the colors and white arm-length gloves. She began to make dazzling poses for the cameras set upon her, each one flashing sporadically in order to grab a good picture of her.

"Wow, she's so photogenic! It's like she knows how to pose for the camera." Kasumi commented.

"Well, duuuuh! Yukari has also done some modeling earlier in her career! Of course she knows a thing or two about looking good." Futaba answered.

Next up came Tatsuya Suou – appearing quite dashing in his dark crimson tuxedo. The Red Hawk actor began to make fierce poses with his entire body and facial expression. Coming right afterwards was his co-star – Mika, wearing a long, teal dress as she gave firm, serious looks to the cameramen.

"Hmm, Futaba what are your thoughts about Mika being the new Pink Argus?" Kasumi asked, curious about her friends opinion.

"Honestly, I wasn't too ecstatic about her casting, considering how many times she's tried to screw with Ann in the past," Futaba explained herself. "But apparently I've heard good things about her in early reviews of the movie, so I gotta give her credit where its due."

Kasumi nodded. She didn't have much personal attachment towards Mika, only hearing about her through her friends from their own personal interactions with the model. Mika seemed to be someone that only looked out for herself, yet put in strong efforts into getting what she desired. Ann would remind her friends that regardless of Mika's selfish attitude, she had to give props to her determination.

In regards to Ann – she was next up in walking along the red carpet. The photographers hastily propped up their cameras up once more as Ann came into view, sporting a fabulous long, red dress that flowed from the back, along with matching red high heels. Ann allowed her curled hair to flow down along her exposed back. She began to pose with power as the flashes of the cameras aimed towards her.

"WOOOOT! GO ANN! I KNOW HER!" Futaba hollered out as she pointed at Ann.

"Awww – she's such a natural! Look at her go!" Kasumi exclaimed, proud of seeing their friend walk along the red carpet, seemingly having captured everyone's attention. Interested in seeing Ren's reaction, Kasumi looked over to the side where he and Ryuji were cheering for Ann.

"Yo come on, girl! Show 'em that fiesty attitude of yours! Yeaaah!" Ryuji cheered, pumping his fists up in the air. In his excitement, he had almost punched one of the taller photographers in the face. "Gaah! Sorry dude!"

Opposite of Ryuji's excitement - Ren admired Ann quietly, yet his expression was apparent at how proud he was of his girlfriend's accomplishments.

Ann – seemingly able to keep her calm in front of the chaotic photographers, happened to notice her boyfriend staring at her. With her ability to remain focus, she continued to strike poses on command, even in front of Ren. Before making her way to the next section of photographers, Ann smirked and blew Ren a quick kiss and a wink.

"Ohhhh gosh! D-Did she just blow me a kiss? I-I think I'm going to faint." one of the younger photographers gushed over, taking a moment to pause while he attempted to collect himself.

"Dude, shuddup! That kiss was for her  _actual_ boyfriend – who happens to be this handsome dude over here." Ryuji immediately put down the photographer's hopes as he wrapped his arm around Ren.

Ren simply rolled his eyes and smiled at his friend's snarky remarks. What a way to support his relationship with Ann. But nevertheless, he was grateful of Ryuji's enthusiasm to their bond.

The premiere night continued on with the rest of the cast making their way onto the red carpet, doing their own walk as they were photographed and asked questions by a variety of interviewers. The Phantom Thieves managed to make their way where Ann was – who seemed to be caught up by so many interviewers intrigued about her being a fresh new face in the film industry. They patiently stood behind the interviewers as they watched Ann answer their questions.

"Takamaki-san! How was your first overall experience with being in a film?" one reporter asked.

"Hmmm…. I've gotta give credit to my fellow cast that I've worked it. It was a lot of fun being with them and we all had a blast working together on the project!" Ann answered with enthusiasm – not breaking a sweat as she answered every rapid question thrown at her.

"Damn, she seems like a natural in interviews. Who woulda thought, huh?" Ryuji commented.

"Heheh, you should have seen us last night. Ann was terrified about this moment and couldn't stop talking about it during dinner," Ren told his friends. "But look at her now – not a drop of fear to be seen from her."

"You must be super proud of Ann, hmm?" Kasumi nudged over to him.

"I sure am." Ren replied, a smile overcoming his face as he watched Ann have the time of her life talking with the various interviewers. On occasion, Ann would look over to Ren with assurance of his presence to continually comfort her.

Kasumi continued to enjoy the eventful evening with her friends. Eventually, the time of the Featherman movie showing was about to begin. The crowd began to make their way into the theatre. Ann awaited for her friends to come over to the entrance.

"Hey guys!" Ann waved over to them. She immediately went over to Ren and gave him a quick peck on the lips before grabbing his hand and motioning them all to follow. "Come on! I've made sure to reserve us some good seats – plus I got some fancy snacks while we watch!"

"Sweet! The perks of being friends with an upcoming actress!" Ryuji expressed in excitement.

"Upcoming? I'm thinking she's already popular enough. Did you not see how many interviewers coming up to her?" Futaba corrected Ryuji. "Mweheheh – can't wait to rub this in with our other classmates back in school! We got a chance to see the a Feathermen movie with the actual Feathermen cast!"

"Futaba – it's best to remain humble." Yusuke attempted to remind her. "No one likes a show-off."

"Shut up, Inari! I do as I please!"

As Kasumi followed her friends into the theatre, she couldn't help but feel an unsettling gaze fall upon her. Taking a moment to stop in her tracks, Kasumi began to look around the crowd, trying to figure where this sudden feeling came from.

On closer attention, Kasumi thought she had seen the gaze of yellow eyes piercing through the crowd, but it quickly went away.

"Is something the matter, Kasumi?" Haru asked, giving her friend a concerned look. "It's like you've seen a ghost or something."

"Uhmm…. Eheheh, it's nothing, Haru." Kasumi tried to reassure her.

Regardless, Kasumi kept looking back, in hopes of figuring out why she was suddenly feeling watched.

* * *

_**\- NOVEMBER -** _   
_**Tokyo, Japan** _   
_**Wilton Hotel Buffet  
Evening** _

The evening continued without disruption. After the showing of  _Featherman: The Next Generation_  – which was met with a rousing applause with the crowd, the group made their way over to the Wilton Hotel for the after-party held for the cast and production members. Ann had managed to invite all her friends along to enjoy the massive buffet.

"It's a shame that Shiho and Ken couldn't make it with us tonight," Makoto commented as they made their way into the buffet room.

"Yeah – but for good reason," Ann reminded them. "She's got priorities with her school's volleyball team being their captain and all, as well as being out of the city for a national tournament."

"You gotta give yourself props too, Ann." Ren added. "You and Shiho have displayed a sense of strong hearts recently, given the fact that both of you have achieved so much in the past few months. I know that right now, Shiho is thinking of how proud she is to see you accomplish so much."

"Heheh, thanks a lot babe. And I'm super grateful to have all of you to lean on as well." Ann giggled. "You know, it's been awhile since we've hung out like this too.

"Yeah, It's really nice." Ren replied, watching in front of them as their friends continued their own conversations – currently enjoying the night so far.

"Whoooot! Alright! I'm gonna go all out tonight!" Ryuji exclaimed, rushing his way over to the meats section, grabbing a plate along the way to begin their feast.

"Alas! I haven't had a massive meal like this in ages!" Yusuke announced, following Ryuji as he ran towards the serving tables.

"Oh boy… I better keep an eye on them and make sure they don't cause any trouble." Makoto rolled her eyes as she power-walked after the boys.

"Oooh! I made sure to get us some special seats!" Ann exclaimed, guiding the rest along as they made their way to their table. It consisted of a large, square table surrounded with a group of comfortable and spacious couches for them to relax in.

"Huh, you got us the same table we sat before when we first had our victory as the Phantom Thieves." Ren commented. Memories flooded in as he remembered their time last year as he, Ann, Ryuji and Morgana munched together – which was also when they came up with their team name.

"Yeah, I figured we could come back together here just for old times sake, ya know?" Ann replied with a smile. Her face suddenly fell flat as a thought came to her mind – specifically regarding a friend they hadn't seen in so long.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked, immediately noting her saddened look.

"Morgana hasn't shown up yet, huh?" Ann reminded him. Ren could only nod. "I'm just so worried. It's been almost a month since we've seen him. I know it's not the first time he's disappeared, but this time was so sudden and without explanation."

"I'm concerned about him too Ann," Ren tried to comfort her. "But we know he's capable of taking care of himself. I'm sure he'll show up eventually. Come on, this is your night to celebrate all the hard work you've done. Why don't we get something sweet to eat?"

While the couple talked, Kasumi couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation – Ren and Ann were worried sick about Morgana. And Kasumi herself was feeling more guilt overwhelm her mind. She was the  _only_ one who had any clue about Morgana's fate – and yet she still hid the truth away from them.

 _Come on, Kasumi! I need to tell them tonight. No backing down this time!_ Kasumi tried to motivate herself.

Kasumi gripped the Spirit Amulet around her neck – reminded of the efforts that Morgana had invested to sustain his Ren and Ann's relationship. The amulet itself had six of the eight attribute stones powered-up – with two more remaining. Kasumi had hoped to figure out the attributes of the rest, but had no luck within the last month.

To her knowledge, Morgana had learned these attributes of Joy, Service, Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty and Patience from observation. But Kasumi didn't have a chance to watch Ren and Ann's relationship grow – understanding that these stones were powered up by the example led in their bond.

The last two attributes were about Common Purpose and Love. But what did these attributes contribute in a relationship?

How the heck was Kasumi supposed to figure this out?

"Hey, Kasumi? Are you gonna grab something to eat?" Futaba's voice suddenly interrupted her train of thought.

"Ohh… Y-Yeah, of course." Kasumi replied. She looked over and noticed that everyone else had gotten their plates already and were sitting down. Kasumi made her way over to the food tables, grabbing her plate and looking over the wide variety of selections.

Meats, seafood, rice, desserts – all engrossing to the appetite – yet Kasumi was unable to focus on what she wanted to eat.

"Well hey there, stranger." another voice suddenly caught Kasumi by surprise. She turned around and was surprised to find not only Yukari Takeba standing in front of her, but Rise Kujikawa as well.

"H-Hey! Yukari!" Kasumi began to greet them. "And Risette? What brought you into town? I thought you were busy making preparations for your Winter tour next month?"

"Heheh, I was. But I managed to finish production early and wanted to come support Yukari with her movie premiere!" Rise explained.

"Plus… We have some unfinished business we wanted to talk to you about – regarding our  _other_ worldly adventures, if you know what I mean." Yukari whispered over. She nodded over to Kasumi's neck, noticing the Spirit Amulet hidden underneath her dress. "Any updates with Morgana's artifact? Ken told me how you were trying to figure out how to power it up."

"Sadly, no, I haven't. My mind has just been so pre-occupied with other things that I haven't figured out how to get this thing to power up." Kasumi expressed in slight frustration.

"Did you manage to tell Ren and Ann?" Rise asked. "About… what may have happened to Morgana?"

"No… and I feel  _so_ guilty about hiding the fact for so long." Kasumi began to express. "They've been doing everything they can to find answers on his whereabouts. Ren even told us about how he made a bunch of  _missing_ posters and posted them around Kyoto. I… I just don't know why it's taking me so long to confess!"

"I see… Is it possibly because of what Morgana told you?" Yukari brought up.

"What do you mean?" Kasumi raised an eyebrow.

"To watch out for Ren and Ann. To keep their relationship at peace," Rise clarified. "We were there also when Morgana gave you the Spirit Amulet for safekeeping and told you to keep an eye on them."

"I… I guess so." Kasumi sighed.

"My best advice to you is just be honest with them Kasumi." Yukari answered. "Honesty  _is_ one of the Spirit Attributes, right? I see no reason why you'd need to beat around the bush with them."

"And like Morgana said, your friends were Persona users before, right?" Rise brought up. "They should be able to understand the complexities of the other realm that we had ventured throughout time and time before. Just let them know."

"Alright… I'll figure out how to tell them tonight." Kasumi nodded, thankful for the advice by her teammates. "By the way. I know this is weird, but have you guys felt like… I don't know, that you were being watched the whole night?"

"Hmm? Not really." Yukari replied.

"What makes you say that?" Rise asked.

"Ohh… nothing. I think my stressed out mind is just playing tricks on me again." Kasumi assured them.

"Don't worry girl, you've got this!" Yukari smiled as she gave Kasumi a thumbs-up.

Making her way back to the group, Kasumi noticed that Mika and Tatsuya had joined them for their buffet. Expecting Ann and Mika to clash heads once again, Kasumi was pleasantly surprised to find the two woman enjoying light conversation with one another.

"Kasumi! We were wondering where you went." Ann happily greeted her, motioning Kasumi to join them.

"Did you not get anything to eat, Kasumi?" Ren asked, noticing that she was empty handed from the food table.

"Ohhh – I-I wasn't really hungry." Kasumi stuttered out, much to everyone's surprise.

"Kasumi!? Not hungry? What is this blasphemy?" Yusuke commented.

"Hey girl, are you alright? This isn't like you at all." Futaba expressed concern.

"I'm fine! Really! Eheheh, I'll just grab some food later on." Kasumi tried to reassure them, taking a seat beside Futaba and Ryuji as everyone else continued their conversation while enjoying the food. Mika continued talking as she began to express her apologies towards Ren and Ann.

"Listen, Takamaki-san, I've been thinking about this a lot lately, but I'm still sorry for what happened during our last meetup at your parent's autumn ball," Mika expressed with sorrow. "It wasn't right of me to expose a past mistake of yours to threaten your relationship. I… I just don't know why I've been such a heartless fool lately. I  _really_ wish I could change my ways!"

"Where is this sudden change of heart coming from?" Ren asked, wondering of Mika's shift of attitude towards them.

"I've been talking to Mika lately with helping her become more – empathetic, for lack of a better term," Tatsuya explained. "I know we've discussed this before , but lately she's been having a lot of these random mood swings in the recent months. But Mika's been getting better at confessing her feelings and understanding others better."

"Takamaki-san, please, if there's absolutely  _anything_ I can do to make things right, please let me know!" Mika pleaded with Ann as she bowed her head from across the table.

"Mika, you have people that care about you. Tatsuya being one of them. And I do care about your well-being as well," Ann expressed. "I guess what I can say is to be honest with your feelings, and if there is anything that is bothering you, please let us know instead of letting out your anger towards others. It's sometimes good to be patient instead of acting up emotions."

"I will do it, Ann! Whatever it takes to be a better person!" Mika repeatedly bowed her head up and down. "I just want to build better relationships with others – and seeing how you and Ren have such a strong bond – I guess I'm sort of jealous of that. I just wish I could find someone of my own."

"You'll definitely find someone, Mika! You're super determined in what you do, so don't give up!" Ann winked as she encouraged Mika. "Relationships have so many attributes in them, that you won't become an expert overnight. It takes so much patience, so much honesty too – but in the end, there is so much joy to be had!"

"Thank you, Ann! I feel so much at peace with your uplifting words!" Mika expressed.

After more of their conversation, Mika and Tatsuya moved on to others as the Phantom Thieves continued enjoying the buffet. Kasumi took a moment to excuse herself once again in order to get food and reflect on Ann's ability to move forward with Mika.

"Ann is so willing to forgive Mika, even after so many problems she's caused. I'm just glad that the two seem to be able to look eye to eye with each other again." Kasumi spoke to herself as she grabbed a spoonful of fried rice and topped it off with a variety of savory meats. Not only did Ann manage to portray these attributes in her own relationship with Ren, but provide examples of it in her other relationship as well.

"I  _seriously_ need to tell them about Morgana!" Kasumi quickly reminded herself. Her mind remained distracted as she headed over to the seafood section, only for her thoughts to be interrupted when Kasumi accidentally bumped into someone, causing her to drop her plate and its contents all over the floor.

"S-Sorry! I wasn't paying attention." Kasumi apologized.

"N-No! It's my fault too!" the other person explained. "Eheh, I was distracted by the smell of the sushi."

Kasumi took a moment to look at the person she had bumped into. They appeared to be a young boy around her age and height– with blue pupils, medium black hair styled in a fringe and wore modest clothing that stood out from the fancier outfits around them – which consisted of a black, unzipped hoodie, white shirt, washed out jeans and black vans.

"Sorry – uhm, but are you part of the production crew?" Kasumi asked.

"N-No, actually I just walked into this buffet because I was starving, heheh." the boy answered with his soft voice, whilst scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "I know, I totally stick out in this crowd. I didn't even know that the Feathermen crew were having a party in the first place."

"Hahah, yeah… I was only asking because I came with one of the actresses and I only just noticed you among the crowd." Kasumi replied.

She didn't know why, but something about this certain boy gave her a weird, yet familiar vibe to her.

If only she had noticed the amulet glowing around her neck near his presence.

"Hey… If you don't mind me asking, what's your name?" Kasumi questioned.

"Uhm…. Uhh… Hey! Would you look at the time! I'm gonna be late for that…. Uhh, meeting! Yeah! Well, I better hurry! See ya!" The boy answered, rushing his way out of the buffet hall, baffling Kasumi as she stood there in confusion.

"Oooohkaaaay, what was up with that guy?" Kasumi pondered. She didn't seem to recognize him at Shujin, meaning that he could've gone to a different school. But why was he in such a hurry not to even tell his name? And why did he give off such a familiar vibe to her? Most of all, what was his purpose being there in the first place?

Finally getting her plate of food, Kasumi returned with the others as they continued their conversation, congratulating on Ann with her success for the Featherman premiere, as well as talking about their own futures.

"So, graduation is coming just around the corner. Do you guys have any plans moving forward? Like what schools you'll being going to? Or what careers interest you?" Makoto asked, bringing her attention to Ren, Ryuji, Ann and Yusuke.

"I'll be pursuing a scholarship towards the Tokyo University of the Arts. I've been recently gaining the attention of some of the professors there, so I hope things will lead somewhere with this opportunity." Yusuke told them.

"That's amazing Yusuke! I'm so proud of you!" Haru expressed, with the others agreeing.

"Damn, I still got nothing, to be honest." Ryuji confessed. "Never really thought about it until now."

"You can't just live with your mom the rest of your life. Have some ambition, dude." Futaba said with a stern tone.

"Hey! I'm still trying to figure things out, okay?" Ryuji argued back.

"Calm down, Ryuji. Although a bit harsh, Futaba means good intentions for you." Makoto tried to assure him. "You have so much potential, Ryuji. It's time to step up and really consider what you want to do in life."

"Yeah, but if you haven't noticed – I completely  _suck_ at academics." Ryuji expressed. "It's not like I have a chance and pursuing a scholarship or anything. It's like… I've wasted my whole time in high school."

"Come on bro, don't be too harsh on yourself." Ren tried to comfort his friend. "You don't always need academics to find your purpose. You have a set of skills unique to you that will help you find out your calling. And like everyone else, it takes time to discover it. Don't rush into anything."

"Yeah man…. I  _know_  I've got passion for something. I just gotta find out what it is!" Ryuji exclaimed, punching a fist into his hand as newfound determination sparked within him from his Ren's words. "What about you, dude? What's your plan after graduating?"

"To be honest, it's taken me a long time to figure it out – but I've talked to my parents a lot recently and finally decided what I've wanted to do." Ren began. "I want to help make a difference in the world. Especially for those who've been backed down in a corner and have felt helpless – like how I was before when I came to Tokyo."

"So what are you going to pursue then?" Futaba asked.

"I'm going into the criminal justice field." Ren answered.

"Whooooah! That sounds so cool!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Criminal justice! What an astounding choice of a career!" Haru replied.

"I guess I'll be seeing you in the field someday then!" Makoto expressed happily.

"I love your answer babe, not just because it's a good career choice, but your intentions behind it," Ann began, smiling over to her boyfriend. "You're doing it in with the intention of inspiring others and making a difference in the world. It's such a selfless option – which shouldn't be a surprise considering how often you look out for others."

"Yeah, I can attest with Ann. You've looked out for others when you didn't need to – even in my case when I was going through my own emotional battles, eheh." Kasumi added.

"Mhmm – Ren is super caring for others. I can attest to that too!" Futaba shyly answered.

"What about you Ann? Or should I say the  _ferocious_  Panther?" Ren teased in regards to her villainous role in the Featherman movie. "Where do you see yourself going after graduation?"

"Uhm… well actually, I've been talking a lot with both Yukari and Rise lately – and they've been really pushing me to go all out with my modeling and acting career – maybe do something in the entertainment business, who knows?" Ann explained.

"That sounds wonderful, Ann! You've already displayed such dedication in your modeling already, and you were an amazing actor in your Featherman movie!" Haru complimented delightfully.

"Heck yeah! Your resume is already looking good. You'd  _totally_  be a must-have for any talent agency." Ryuji added.

"Heheh, thanks guys. But… I'm not sure if I'm okay with making that decision just yet." Ann said, her optimism suddenly disappearing.

"Why not? You've put your time and passion into all of this. Why the hesitation?" Ren asked.

The others stared over to Ann, noting how she lowered her head and began to twiddle with her fingers with uncertainty.

"Because if I did choose that path – then I would have to leave Tokyo. Meaning… I'd have to leave all of you." Ann confessed.

The others remained silent, only able to look back to Ann with confusion. If Ann chose to pursue her dreams, that meant she had to leave them behind – a thought that never really occurred to any of them until now.

"Oh… damn." Ryuji was the first to break the silence.

"Ann has to… leave us?" Futaba said, unable to process the possibility.

"I… I don't know what to say." Haru expressed, saddened by the possibility of Ann not being with them anymore.

"Well, to what extent will you be going out of Tokyo?" Makoto asked.

"I'd be under the mentorship of Yukari mainly, and her upcoming work requires me to travel extensively with her, so I'm not sure where I'd even stay for a majority of the time." Ann told them. "I'm… just so conflicted right now. Like, I'd love to take this chance, but I don't know if I'm able to go through with it, if it meant that I wouldn't see you guys for a long time."

"But haven't you traveled a lot beforehand? With your parents, I mean." Yusuke brought up. "Surely this sort of travel won't be new to you."

"I know, I know. It's just… this time its different." Ann expressed. She sighed as she looked up to each of her friends – ones that she had managed to grow a strong bond with over the last year. Friends that she'd experienced so many challenges with.

"Tell us what's on your mind, Ann. We'll understand." Ren reassured her gently rubbing Ann's hand in his.

"I-I just… don't know if I can leave you guys." Ann began, lowering her head with just the thought of leaving to make her "You guys have all become so close to my heart, and just the thought of having to leave you all for my own dreams... it just doesn't fit right with me."

Ann's emotions began to well up as she did her best to hold her tears, but it was very apparent that she was feeling troubled by her current decision. She had been able to build up such a strong heart and persona recently – but the topic of leaving seemed to hit her right in the emotional spot. The others were unable to say anything.

Ren took a moment to wrap his arm around Ann and brought her close to him to comfort her, looking over to her as he began to think of a way to comfort his girlfriend.

"Ann, remember the day when you guys dropped me back home to Kyoto in March?" Ren asked.

Ann looked up and nodded to her boyfriend, with her and the others listening intently to what Ren had to say.

"You asked how the two of us would be able to sustain our relationship together on a long-distance term," Ren reminded her, memories of him and Ann sitting on their front porch coming to his mind. "To be honest, I never really knew how we would be able to manage our bond being in different cities. I was sort of scared on how it would work out."

"Scared? Eheheh, you didn't seem like that at all." Ann giggled, yet her heart tickled to know her boyfriend had also shared the same feelings back – just like her.

"Yeah, right? This guy always seems cool under any pressure." Ryuji commented.

"Totally! Unlike Ryuji – who's apparently a tea kettle that never stops spouting off." Futaba joked.

"SHUT UP, FUTABA!"

"Told you!"

"Anyway – what made me believe that we would work out was knowing our hearts were on the same page that night," Ren continued. "You were able to wait for me after I was incarcerated – while I was willing to wait for you until I got out. The whole time, my mind always thought about you when I was alone in my cell. But my time together with you before that solidified that we would come back once again."

"Awwww – and you guys are still together after everything you've been through!" Haru exclaimed, feeling that her heart was melting at the moment Ren and Ann were sharing.

"She's right, Ann. Think about it – we've been through so much challenges together in the past year," Ren brought up, reminding them of the many trials they faced – the first weeks of overcoming the distance in their relationship, how Ren fought for Ann to obtain her breakout role in the Featherman movie, the drama they faced between Tatsuya and Mika, the fallout and recovery of their relationship with Kasumi, the random love triangle brought up with Ryuji and the battle against both their parent's disproval about their relationship.

"You're…. Right. We have been through so much together." Ann thought about it, surprised at how much they had tackled as a couple in the recent months Reflecting back on it, it felt like their own lives were some sort of teen drama. "Geez – I didn't realize all the issues we had gone through."

"Exactly. There were so many points where our relationship seemed to be at the brink of destruction – but we both managed to hold on to the strings that helped keep our bond together, holding onto the hope that our hearts desired." Ren continued. "I believe that deep down, both our hearts wanted to remain connected to one another.

Ren took a moment and directed his hand over to Ann's neck – gently grasping the silver heart necklace he had given her back in August. He took own gold part of the same heart and put the pieces together – completing the heart's full shape.

"Our hearts both have a common purpose – to remain steadfast in the chaos that our relationship goes through, and remain together no matter the trials we face." Ren affirmed.

The others reacted to Ren's cheesiness accordingly - with Ryuji and Futaba rolling their eyes in cringe, Makoto chuckling at his over exaggeration of feelings and Haru and Kasumi both sighing in unison.

But for Ann – those comforting words was all she needed to solidify her decision. Her trust in Ren surpassed any boundaries she had with others – built on the foundation of dedication he imparted in their own relationship. Just like their necklaces connected together to complete a full heart – their minds we on the same page even when they were far apart.

"Ren… You always just know what to say, hmm?" Ann said gently with a smile, giving him a small peck on his cheek. She sighed, "Okay… I've decided! I'm going with Yukari to travel and become the  _best_ model I can be!"

"Alright! This calls for a celebration!" Ryuji yelled out in glee, the others joining him.

"Hooray! Food is on Yusuke!" Futaba hopped up and down in her seat!"

"What nonsense is coming from your mouth, Futaba! I barely even have enough to pay for myself tonight!" Yusuke protested.

"Uhmm… You know this food is being paid for by the Featherman crew, right?" Makoto reminded him.

Kasumi smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. The bond Ren and Ann showcased managed to also uplift their friends as well. This mutual understanding that they all shared helped them remain connected – creating an incredibly sustainable bond among their group

Unknown to Kasumi, the seventh stone on the Spirit Amulet began to glow as its power began to slowly manifest into the respective attribute that Ren and Ann began to display – common purpose _._

"Well, hello there again, my friends." another voice jumped into their conversation. The group looked up to them with all but Ren and Ann showing confusion at this new person.

"Ohhh, good to see you again, Charlotte." Ren expressed, taking a moment to shake her hand.

Kasumi remained in her seat while shock began to course through her body. There was no doubt who this person was - the unique platinum blonde hair tied in buns, the dark clothing they were, those piercing yellow eyes.

This same person was the shadow enemy that Kasumi and the others had defeated in the Spirit Realm – at least, that's what they had initially thought.

But no – Charlotte seemed to survive.

"Kasumi? Are you okay? Why are you pale all of a sudden?" Futaba asked.

"Right? She was also like this earlier." Haru added.

"You're not coming down with a cold or anything are you?" Makoto gave her concerns.

"Uhm… N-No worries! I-I'm fine!" Kasumi stuttered as she tried to reassure her friends. "Ugghh… I'm just gonna use the washroom quickly!"

Kasumi practically jumped out of her seat as she made her way to the hotel's washrooms on the other floor. She took one final glance back at Charlotte, who happened to be laughing with Ren and Ann as they began to catch up.

Her heart skipped a beat as Charlotte looked up to Kasumi, giving off a devilish grin as she exited the buffet hall.

…

Taking a moment to wash her face, Kasumi leaned herself over the sink as she took a couple deep breaths. A tornado of thoughts began to swirl in her mind:

How did the shadow survive?

Why were they back?

And most importantly – what happened to Justine?

Where was Morgana?

Did the shadow… manage to kill them off?

"This can't be… please… Morgana… Noo..." Kasumi shook her head in disbelief – the possibility of what may have happened to her friends slowly sinking in.

"Kasumi?" a knock came from the bathroom door, the sudden noise frightened Kasumi. She turned around to find Ann entering the room with a look of concern. "Hey! I just wanted to check up on you. Is there something the matter? You left in such a hurry."

Kasumi took a moment to compose herself, taking a few more deep breaths as she mustered up the courage to explain to Ann about everything that had been going on so far.

About Charlotte, about the twins, about their Persona team, the Spirit Realm and amulet – and most importantly, about Morgana.

"I… I need to tell you guys something. It's about Morgana..."

_**.** _

_**..** _

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	27. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kasumi confesses everything about Morgana's missions to the Phantom Thieves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Welcome once again, fellow reader! How've you been? Doing good myself, if you asked, haha.
> 
> Story-wise, I'm super excited for these last remaining chapters. I'd like to announce that we are heading into the FINAL FOUR chapters of this long fic! I never would've imagined this story becoming this big, in terms of plot and character building. There's a lot more that I'd like to share about this fic, development-wise - but I'll hold it off for a later update. As I sort of stated in last week's chapter, with this being mainly a Shuann fic - there'll be additional emphasis with the rest of the group as we eventually come to the climax.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter! Thanks again for reading and have a great weekend! Cheers!

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 27: REVELATION**

* * *

 _**\- NOVEMBER -  
** _ _**Tokyo, Japan  
** _ _**Cafe Leblanc  
** _ _**Morning** _

"So… that's why Morgana hasn't been around for a whole month?" Ann spoke.

The group met up early that morning in the attic of Cafe Leblanc. The room had been left untouched by Sojiro ever since Ren had moved back to Kyoto. Ren's various trinkets and decorations still remained where he had placed them. At the moment however, the group had their usual set-up placed, using the same tables and chairs that were for planning out palace infiltrations. The group listened intently to Kasumi's entire story about what had happened to Morgana in the months leading up to his sudden disappearance.

"Yes… it's because of this amulet I now wear that caused his disappearance," Kasumi confessed, laying down the amulet in the centre of the table for the others to inspect. Currently, seven of its eight stones glowed harmoniously with a majority of its attribute powers unlocked.

"Huh, I had a weird feeling there was something going on with that amulet Morgana was wearing for awhile." Futaba commented. The first time she had noticed Morgana's collar was when he and Ren returned for the long weekend in April. She recounted how Morgana was still sulking after his recent discovery of Ren and Ann's relationship back then.

"Just to ensure that we heard your story correctly, Kasumi - this medallion is connected to Ren and Ann's… spiritual bond?" Makoto clarified.

"Mhmm, as outlandish as the idea is, this item that Morgana called the Spirit Amulet was used to harness attributes for its respective palace's treasure – which so happened to focus on Ren and Ann's relationship." Kasumi explained, hoping that her ideas were getting across to her friends.

"This palace you mentioned? You also said that whatever the shadows did inside it would reflect in reality, right?" Yusuke asked, seeking to understand more about this other world and its powers.

"Yes. Which explains many of these trials that Ren and Ann had faced in the previous months," Kasumi continued to explain. "The shadows inside were able to utilize the cognitions created from Ren and Ann's bond to influence people close to them in an attempt to split them apart."

"Damn… So maybe that explains why Ren's parents were acting so uptight recently," Ryuji gritted his teeth, now fully understanding the whole scope of their past troubles. "And… now I know why I was suddenly so jealous of their relationship too. I was a freakin' puppet used by those damn shadows to get what they wanted!"

"You didn't know any better, Ryuji. None of that was your fault." Haru assured, sitting beside him as she patted his shoulder. "What matters is that you were able to overcome those feelings and help bring resolution to the issue."

"But Kasumi, you also mentioned that you had a team during your travels in this spirit reality, correct?" Makoto asked, wanting to understand fully about this entire issue revolving around Ann and Ren. "Yukari Takeba, Rise Kujikawa and Ken Amada – they were all recruited by Morgana along with yourself to help him fight against the shadows and protect Ren and Ann's relationship?"

"Yes… Although they had been a part of this mission much longer than I have been. To be honest, I've only joined them on two endeavors before Morgana seemingly disappeared." Kasumi replied.

There was a moment of silence as the everyone allowed the current fact to linger – according to Kasumi's story, Morgana was gone once again. Although this hadn't been the first time the Phantom Thieves had to endure their friend's disappearance. The prior incident happening during Christmas Eve after their battle against Yaldeboath – when Morgana seemed to disappear once the Metaverse was destroyed.

"So… amongst all this adventuring you've been through, I'm assuming that you are now well affiliated with Personas?" Ren asked Kasumi, breaking the silence as he stood up from his old bed. "You did mention that you had your own awakening while you were in the Spirit Palace. Is that true?"

"Mhmm… Yeah." Kasumi answered. "My head has still been trying to comprehend that new power I've used only sparingly. But all I know is that something inside me awakened. A desire of wanting to create a change. To battle against the circumstances I was in and help others."

"Right, and I'm sure you've heard of another group with similar ideals as yours." Ren added.

"You mean… the Phantom Thieves? Or more specifically, you guys." Kasumi replied, easily connecting the two ideas together. "You and them – are more accurately one in the same."

"Yup! That's us!" Futaba hoped out of her seat to strike a Featherman pose. "The infamous Phantom Thieves - right in the very flesh!"

"Damn, how'd you figure that out?" Ryuji asked. "I swear, I've been doing my best to keep my mouth shut these days."

"Well, you guys were the  _only_ ones who ever really talked a lot about them recently, ever since the incident around Christmas." Kasumi explained. "And you guys gave off such a unique vibe with your group. I knew that you were all special in some way back when I first met you. I just didn't know it at the time."

"None of us could have connected together if it wasn't for Morgana's initiative though." Haru mentioned. Her heart suddenly sank at the reminder of her friend's demise. "But Mona-chan… Is he… truly gone?"

"He… He can't be. Morgana has managed to return before. What makes this situation any different?" Futaba tried to reason.

"I don't believe that Morgana's gone forever," Ryuji stated. "Sure, he may be an annoying furball at times, but he's one tough cookie that is hard to crumble."

"Hmm… what an interesting, yet delicious analogy." Yusuke commented, his stomach beginning to rumble due to having missed breakfast that morning.

"Geez, Inari. Do you need one of my yakisobas or something?" Futaba rolled her eyes. "Ironically, that growl sounded like you had eaten a lion whole!"

"But Ryuji's right, though! Morgana is a fighter. There's  _no_ way that he'd give up against this jealous shadow that's pining over Ren!" Haru exclaimed.

"Yeah, what's up with this shadow idiot anyway? Creating all this pointless drama just to try and have Ren all for itself?" Ryuji brought up. He turned over to Ann, noting how quiet she was being during all this talk of shadows and their relationship. "Yo Ann, what do you have to say about all this? It does centre around you and Ren after all."

"Sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head after hearing all of this nonsense." Ann said. She was sitting on Ren's bed, leaning forwarding with her head resting on her hands. This whole idea that a palace in a different dimension was holding a cognition of her relationship with Ren was bewildering – let alone that all their troubles came from an envious being that wanted her boyfriend for itself.

"Do you need a moment?" Ren asked, sitting beside her as he attempted to console Ann. He let out a small chuckle, trying to make light of the situation. "Even I'm finding this whole situation to be out of the ordinary. But this sort of craziness isn't exactly new to us, right?"

"I know, I know… but there's still one thing I'm still trying to comprehend," Ann began to let her thoughts out to the group. "Like… why would Morgana go through all this trouble just to protect our relationship? He didn't have any obligation whatsoever. He just… went on and carried this entire burden all by himself without telling us!"

"Well, learning about relationships through observation from you two allowed Morgana to power up this amulet," Kasumi clarified, grabbing the Spirit Amulet from the table and looking over the glowing stones etched in them. "In terms of why he didn't mention anything to you, he said that he didn't want you involved in any more supernatural troubles so you all could lead normal lives."

"Huh, well to me, it seems like he just wanted to have all the fun." Ryuji commented.

"Regardless, hearing everything that Morgana had done for you two showed how much he was determined to protect your relationship," Makoto reasoned.

"Yeah, even if Morgana was heartbroken at the initial discovery of you two dating, he still fought to keep you two together." Haru brought up.

"Heheh, I can totally attest to his heartbreak. He'd pretty much complain or sulk every second we were around Ren and Ann." Futaba said. "I ended up having to be the sponge to soak in all his sorrows."

"Morgana… He did so much for us. And… I didn't even see it until now." Ann covered her face, feeling a wave of guilt overcome her. Part of her relationship had been in the hands of Morgana, who had no obligation to fulfill his duty to protect it, but did it anyway out of his own dedication to his friends. "Ugh… I can't even thank him for all that he's done. He sacrificed himself just so Ren and I… could be happy."

"I feel like I should have known this sooner," Ren expressed. He began to reflect on Morgana's growth in the past months, noting that he had gradually become more vocal on his support with the relationship he shared with Ann. Ren shook his head. "I had no right to just let Morgana handle the bulk of our relationship issues himself. I should have been more accountable to his actions."

"You guys didn't know – and this  _was_  Morgana's choice." Kasumi reminded the couple. She sensed that their spirits were very low at the moment. "He's done so much to maintain your relationship. You can't let his efforts go to waste."

"But Kasumi… You mentioned that yesterday you saw the shadow once again. The same enemy that's been messing with our relationship," Ren brought up. "It was the woman talking to our table at the Wilton Hotel. Charlotte was her name, right?"

"You mean that same woman that gave us the  _bright_  idea to talk to your parents without thinking things through?" Ann brought up, rolling her eyes as she was reminded of their failed attempt last month.

"Again, that was the shadow's powers to be able to influence your minds through the Spirit Palace. You had no control over that." Kasumi reminded her.

"Whatever… All that matters is that she's the one who's been messing with not just our relationship, but those who are close to us!" Ann growled. "Ren's parents, Mika, Ryuji, and especially Morgana! All of them have been victims of this crazy shadow's game!"

"But by their most recent sighting at the Wilton Hotel, that shadow is still alive, correct?" Makoto deduced. "Kasumi, you mentioned that your Persona team had fought it within its own dimension, but Morgana stayed behind to deal with the shadow enemy himself?"

"Yes… that's right. Which points towards my biggest fear that Morgana may not have made it out alive." Kasumi sighed, feeling her heart sting from having to speak out those words.

"No…. I don't believe it," Ren said with certainty. He walked over to the table in the centre of his room and picked up the Spirit Amulet, looking over its stones as they slowly glowed. "This artifact you have – it's been collecting energy for the past months, right? And its also the biggest connection to the Spirit Palace."

"Well yes, its also the strongest tie with your relationship and Mona-chan as well." Kasumi answered.

"Then let's use it to go back to the Spirit Palace. Find out what happened to Morgana and  _end_  things with the shadow enemy." Ren suggested.

"H-How are we supposed to do that?" Makoto confronted Ren. "We don't even know how this amulet's powers work!"

"Well to be fair, we didn't know how to utilize our Personas powers when we first awakened." Yusuke brought up. "But somehow we managed to figure it out along the way. What difference will this amulet be to our Personas?"

"Hmph, maybe I can search up stuff about this amulet online and figure out if there's a way to unlock its powers," Futaba volunteered. "I'm sure I can find a thing or two on the deep web."

"Deep web? How exactly deep does it go?" Haru asked, intrigued.

"Oh no no no. Your eyes are no where ready to see what lurks in that hell hole." Futaba assured her.

"Uhm, what about Charlotte? Should we be worried at all that this crazy shadow is obsessed with Ren?" Ryuji brought up.

"Right. From everything we've heard so far, this Charlotte person will use whatever means necessary to get what they want," Makoto remarked. "They've attacked Morgana and his group multiple times in the Spirit Palace and even used the bonds that Ren and Ann have with other people to sabotage their relationship."

"Speaking of this crazy chick, why didn't she do anything back at the hotel? Ren was pretty much open for her taking." Ryuji added.

"Probably due to the abundance of people in the area at the time." Yusuke said. "She may have extraordinary powers, but she must be attempting to strike when no one else is looking."

"Hmph! Well, there's absolutely  _no_ way in my life that I will let anybody take Ren away from me!" Ann asserted, grabbing Ren's arm and pulling him closer. "I've been through  _way_  too much with you, babe. And Morgana has done so much just to keep us together. If this Charlotte woman wants you, she's gonna need the courage to face me first!"

"Yeaah! Go girl! Assert your dominance!" Futaba pumped her fist in the air.

"You know, I kinda like it when you get protective of me. I actually feel kinda special." Ren teased, smiling over to Ann as she continued clinging onto him.

"Oh please, you'd totally do the same thing for me." Ann rolled her eyes. For a moment, she blushed when an expression of uncertainty overcame her face as she looked up to Ren. "Uhm…. You  _would_  do the same for me, right?"

Ren chuckled, simply giving Ann a kiss on her forehead. "Did that answer your question?"

" _BLRAAGH!"_

" _BLEEEGH!"_

Ren and Ann looked over to see Futaba and Ryuji kneeling on the attic floor as they both emulated gagging actions in reaction to their usual public display of affection.

"Must you two always react like such children?" Yusuke commented over to Futaba and Ryuji as they began to lie down on the floor in defeat. "I for one respect their intimacy and desire to draw out their love in action one day!"

"Awww, I think that's very sweet." Haru commented.

"And somewhat creepy." Makoto added.

"Anyways, it looks like we've come to a conclusion," Kasumi redirected their conversation. "We figure out how to unlock the Spirit Amulet's powers, find out what happened to Morgana and stop Charlotte before she is able to further damage Ren and Ann's relationship."

"Never thought I'd have to hear  _that_  kind of sentence in my life." Futaba said, hopping back on her feet.

"Does this mean that if all goes according to plan, then the Phantom Thieves will be back in business?" Ryuji jumped in anticipation. "Because  _boy_  am I down to get into some persona action and beat the shit out of that Charlotte chick in her dimension!"

"Seems like that's where it's headed." Ren confirmed. Deep down, he was sharing the same excitement as Ryuji. Being a Phantom Thief had given Ren a rush of energy back then, and to be given this opportunity once again was something he wouldn't dare missing out on.

"So this is really happening, huh? The Phantom Thieves are coming back!" Ann exclaimed, smiling as she joined in with everyone else's enthusiasm. She turned over to Kasumi and nodded over to her. "Well, I guess this officially makes you a Phantom Thief too!"

"Me? A Ph-Phantom Thief?" Kasumi stuttered, surprised by the acknowledgement. At first hesitant, she reflected on her personal stance about the group, remembering that she didn't completely agree on their ideologies. But overtime as she got to know the group personally, Kasumi understood where each of them were coming from. This bond that made them one had grown due to Morgana believing in their abilities to create a positive change in not only their own personal lives – but with others as well.

Yet most importantly – Morgana's life was on the line. Kasumi was willing to do anything to help them out.

"Okay! I'll join you guys!" Kasumi pumped both fists in enthusiasm, much to the joy of everyone else.

"Alriiiiiiight! Our team grows stronger than ever!" Ryuji cheered.

"It's a pleasure to have you on our side, Kasumi." Yusuke nodded.

"YEEEEEEEEES! My bestie is a Phantom Thief! I'm so proud!" Futaba hollered, running over to Kasumi as she hugged her – almost causing the both of them to lose balance and fall over.

As the rest of the group continued their conversations in excitement, Ren and Ann stood off to the side, happily watching their friends talk about the possible comeback of their Phantom Thief personas.

"Do you think we'll be able to pull this off? We don't even have much to go off on with this whole Spirit Palace and our treasured bond." Ann asked, turning over to her boyfriend for answers.

"We've always managed to make it work before. What difference will this plan be?" Ren replied.

"Well, technically we seem to share our own palace – does that mean that our desires are maybe… warped in some way? How do we even have our own palace in the first place? Let alone one that solely focuses on our relationship?" Ann expressed with concern.

Seeing her worry, Ren wrapped his arms around her waist and gently pulled Ann close to him. "Ann, all I've shared were my genuine feelings with you throughout our time together. I promise you that there's nothing warped about that."

"Heheh… There you go again, always knowing what to say and when to say it." Ann blushed, eventually resting her head against his chest as she relaxed in his embrace.

"And besides, we owe it to Morgana for all that he's done for us," Ren added. "He took his time and efforts to protect our relationship, both on a spiritual and physical level. Morgana went in knowing that he would make so many sacrifices for us when we didn't even know it."

"Yeah, so we have to get him back. Whatever it takes." Ann agreed, looking up to her boyfriend with newfound determination.

"Whatever it takes." Ren repeated.

* * *

 _**\- NOVEMBER -  
** _ _**Tokyo, Japan  
** _ _**Yongen-Jaya  
** _ **Morning**

Kasumi and Futaba began making their way through the quiet alleyways of Yongen-Jaya, heading over to Sojiro's home to hang out in Futaba's room in order to get a head start with their mission to discover more about the history of the Spirit Amulet.

"Huh, interesting!" Futaba gawked on her cell phone, already searching up facts to their treasure trinket. "So I was looking up trinkets and found a definition that could match what the Spirit Amulet represents."

"What did you find out?" Kasumi asked, peering over Futaba's shoulder to see the details on her phone.

"Apparently there is a souvenir called an  _omamori,_ which loosely translates to an amulet that guides or protects." Futaba explained. "These omamoris are usually found within shrines and are carried around to keep people safe and protected from bad spirits and experiences."

"Hmm, that's seems very accurate with what the Spirit Amulet does," Kasumi nodded, looking over the amulet grasped in her hands. "This has been used so many times to protect us during our escapades in the Spirit Palace against the shadows. And with the learning of these attributes, they've also brought Ren and Ann growth in their own relationship."

"An amulet that protects, that's super cool!" Futaba exclaimed, peering over to Kasumi's amulet once more. "Geez, I wonder what other cool powers it has-"

" _OOOOF!"_

"H-Hey! Watch where you're going!" Futaba complained, taking a moment to rub the bump on her forehead. In her wonderment, she hadn't noticed where she and Kasumi were walking and accidentally bumped into someone.

"S-Sorry! Didn't mean to walk right into you." the voice of a boy apologized to her.

Kasumi inspected the boy and immediately recognized him. The same blue pupils, short-fringed black hair and casual outfit. There was no doubt that this was the same boy she had encountered yesterday at the Wilton Hotel. Before she could say a word to him, Kasumi noted the Spirit Amulet glowing much brighter in her hands – as if reacting to a familiar presence.

"Whoah, how did you do that?" Futaba asked, gawking over to the amulet as it glowed.

"Uhm… I don't know. It just started lighting up like this," Kasumi shrugged her shoulders. "It's like, it sensed that random boy and started acting up around him."

As Futaba and Kasumi looked up, they noticed that the boy had began booking it from them. They watched as he ran and took a sharp turn around the corner.

"H-Hey! Wait! I wanna talk to you!" Kasumi hollered, immediately chasing after the boy.

"Hold up! I'm not as athletic as you, Kasumi!" Futaba called out to her, running as fast as she could in her boots while chasing after Kasumi.

The two girls managed to maintain their pace and ran after the boy, keeping an eye on where he turned. Eventually, they came across a dead end alley within the Yongen-Jaya district. Kasumi and Futaba took a moment to catch their breaths as they cornered their target – who seemed to panic as he realized there was no escape route from the girls.

"You! What's wrong with you?" Kasumi growled, pointing at the boy as she demanded answers. "First I see you at the hotel and you run away. Now we randomly bump into you and yet you try to run away again! What are you trying to hide?"

"N-Nothing! I-It's just that..." the boy tried to explain, only for him to suddenly yelp as he crouched down, holding his hands against his head as he tried to suppress the pain that he was currently feeling. "Gahh...That voice again..."

"Voice?" Futaba raised an eyebrow, looking around the alley ways in confusion as it was dead silent in the area. "Kasumi, I think this kid is crazy. There's no one else but us here."

Kasumi gave a concerned look as she and Futaba continued to look at the boy writhing in pain. Sympathy overcame her as she kneeled down and reached out to him. "Hey, what voice are you hearing?"

"There… There is this voice… They keep… whispering in my head..." the mysterious boy stated.

"Voice? In your head?" Kasumi repeated.

"Okay, this kid is  _totally_ off his meds or something." Futaba assumed.

"They…. She…. Keeps talking about… returning…. To the… Palace." the boy stuttered, holding onto his head as the pain continued.

"Palace? Why would they say palace?" Kasumi said in confusion. She immediately looked down and noticed that her Spirit Amulet was glowing once more around the boy, as if attracted to his presence. "You… Who  _are_  you exactly?"

"His existence is none of your concern anymore," another voiced echoed into the alleyway. The three turned behind them and noticed a lone figure standing at the other end of Kasumi and Futaba quickly recognized the woman with her trench coat, platinum hair and piercing yellow gaze.

"Charlotte..." Kasumi spoke under her breath.

"So… uh, she's the shadow you guys have been fighting all this time?" Futaba whispered over to Kasumi, receiving a nod. "Oh great… I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I hope to do this in a peaceful manner. All I want is that amulet of yours." Charlotte stated calmly as she slowly walked over to them.

"I thought Morgana had finished you off!" Kasumi yelled back, taking a defensive stance as she held tightly onto the amulet around her neck. "Where is he now? What did you do to him?"

"Whatever fate that had transpired him was none of my doing." Charlotte affirmed, distance closing between her and the trio. "His demise was at the hands of his own."

"No… That's not possible. There's no way he would lose to the likes of you!" Kasumi shouted back,

"Gaaaaaaaahhh!" the boy behind them suddenly screamed, the pain in his head growing stronger.

"We need to get him some help! He isn't looking too good." Futaba stated.

"I cannot allow you to let him pass. Not until you hand me over the amulet." Charlotte demanded.

"Why… Why do you need the Spirit Amulet anyway? Don't you have enough power to siphon out from your own dimension?" Kasumi defended, referring to the shadow's own pocket world where they had battled in prior to Morgana's sacrifice.

"Hmph… As much I as hate to admit it, your annoying feline friend did manage to do a number on my powers." Charlotte explained, looking down to one of her hands, feeling the emptiness of her energy. "It is out of my knowledge, but he somehow managed to cancel out my abilities during our last encounter. Which is why I need your amulet that the feline was  _ever_ so polite to power up for me."

"You need the amulet's powers… to get back home, right?" Kasumi managed to figure it out. "Then what are you going to do? You've done enough damage to our group of friends already. Especially Ren and Ann. Will you ever leave them alone?"

"No… I still desire the Trickster for myself." Charlotte gritted her teeth as she began to lose her patience. She stopped in her tracks for a moment and sighed. "Will you ever learn to stay out of one's business? You're just as stubborn as that stupid cat."

"He's not stupid! Morgana has been one of the most selfless…. uhhh,  _beings_ I've known!" Kasumi began to defend her friend. "His ability to move on from his past feelings with Ann and to utilize his skills to protect and support Ren's relationship with her is not a trait most people are able to do! Why can't you see from his perspective as well?"

"No…. I… won't. I refuse! The Trickster is supposed to be with me!" Charlotte growled, clenching both fists to her side.

"Stop…. Please… That voice… it won't go away." the boy gasped out as he laid on the ground.

"We really need to get him help, like pronto!" Futaba advised.

"Again, I'm afraid I can't let you go anywhere until you hand over the amulet," Charlotte reminded them. Nonchalantly, she sifted through her trench coat pockets and took out a sharp, combat knife and pointed it towards the trio. "Like I said, I'd prefer to do this as peacefully as possible. Otherwise, your hair won't be the only thing that's red on you."

"A k-knife?" Futaba's eyes widened as she took a step back. "You've gotta be kidding me. All this for a stupid necklace!?"

"GRAAAAAAAGGGGH!" the boy continued yelling while he went into a fetal position, tears flowing out from his eyes as he was unable to handle the pain anymore.

"Augh! H-Hey! Hold on! We'll get help." Futaba panicked, crouching down to the boy as she attempted to reassure him. "Kasumi! We gotta go now!"

Kasumi froze in her spot, unable to think of what to do. Charlotte had them cornered and threatened them with a knife. All while the mysterious boy continued screaming on the ground behind her – unable to quit talking about the voice in his head.

"HEY! You better leave 'em alone!" another voiced yelled out. Surprised by the sudden statement, everyone looked over to the other end of the alleyway and found Ryuji standing their triumphantly with a dirty, old bat – accompanied by Ren and Ann.

"Did you  _really_ need to bring that bat with you?" Ann asked. "You don't even know where that's been. You just picked it up on the side when we heard the screaming."

"Uhm, did you not notice that she has a  _freakin'_  knife with her!?" Ryuji reminded, pointing his bat over to Charlotte.

"But who brings a bat to a knife fight?" Ren challenged him.

"Can y'all focus? Our friends are in trouble." Ryuji rolled his eyes, redirecting their attention to the group. "Alright! So you are that damn shadow that's been messing up with our relationships, huh? You remember all the bullshit you put us through? You made me fight with my best friend and put me in the hospital for a week! That's ain't cool at all!"

"Noo… The Trickster… He wasn't supposed to see me like this." Charlotte spoke under her breath, her arms trembling as she put her knife down for a moment. "All I wanted was your approval… Your affection. Wasn't that too much to ask?"

"Charlotte… I know who you really are," Ren began to speak as he calmly walked over to her, remaining cautious as he kept an eye on the knife she held. "And deep down, I know that Caroline is still in there as well. And I'm sure that you are able to understand the feelings she confessed to me as Lavenza."

"No…. I… don't. I don't… want to." Charlotte stuttered, attempting to suppress the mind of Caroline within.

"But you do. So then you understand – after everything that she's learned through the bond we made along with her sister, that this isn't the way to do this.," Ren continued, slowly approaching Charlotte. "You can be better than this. There is more to this life that you've found than these feelings that you remain engrossed with."

"But… I wanted you to be with me… Not her!" Charlotte argued, pointing her knife directly towards Ann from the other end of the alley.

All Ann could do was stand there in shock. She dared not to speak a word in order to avoid further escalation.

"I understand that, Charlotte. But please… You need to let me go. If you truly understand my relationship with Ann through the exposure in our supposed palace, then you'll know how strong my feelings are for her," Ren tried to explain. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard to comprehend. But I believe you have more potential than just remaining like this."

"But… I can't reach that potential… Not if I don't have you with me like before." Charlotte said, recollecting the thoughts of Caroline when he would always visit them in the Velvet Room to fuse together Personas. "You… you've always made me stronger. Always believed in both of my halves."

"This is getting so confusing." Ryuji whispered over to Ann. "Like, who is shadow even talking about. Itself? The twins? Caroline?"

"I'm not sure. I feel as if the shadow is reverting back and forth between its own mindset and Caroline's." Ann tried to give her own explanation. "It's mind must be so corrupted that they can't even think straight anymore."

As Ren continued talking to Charlotte, Kasumi and Futaba attended to the fallen boy behind them, who seemed to have calmed down as he simply laid on the ground in exhaustion, his pain having supposedly disappearing.

"Hey… Are you okay?" Futaba asked, gently nudging the boy.

"Morgana..." The boy weakly uttered.

"Yes… Wait, do you know anything about him?" Kasumi asked. Before she could receive a response, the boy lost consciousness as he passed out. "H-Hey… Wake up! What about Morgana?"

"Oooof, I think the pain got to him." Futaba concluded. He inspected the boy, noting that his chest was still rising up and down. "Well, at least he's still breathing. But what the heck was he going through earlier?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel that it has something to do with the amulet," Kasumi gave her thoughts, looking down to her amulet once again and noting that it still glowed around the boy's presence. "I'm not sure how, but I believe he's somehow connected in all of this."

Looking back over to Ren and Charlotte, the former seemed to have been able to de-escalate the situation as they calmly talked.

"Charlotte, we can work this out. You have to trust me." Ren continued talking with a calm manner. His main priority however was to ensure the safety of Kasumi and Futaba. "I can help you figure things out regarding your feelings."

"Please, come with me." Charlotte requested.

"What are you talking about?" Ren asked.

"Come with me then. Back to your palace. Back in the Spirit Realm. We can have time for ourselves there. Just the two of us." Charlotte tried convince him. "Please, if you just gave me time with you alone, then I'm sure we can meet eye to eye! And maybe, you'll see why you belong with me instead of your fake lover! You have to try!"

"I'm sorry, but that's not what I meant-" Ren tried to explain, only for Charlotte to blow her top once again.

"Stop playing with my feelings! Do you not understand all the trouble I've gone through - just to have a chance to be with you, my Trickster!?" Charlotte growled.

"Charlotte! Please listen to him! He's just trying to help you!" Ann suddenly called out to them, unable to stand by any longer. She immediately regretted her decision, realizing what her outburst would lead up to.

"Ann!" Ren called back to her. He wasn't expecting for Ann to call out, but this turn of events ended up triggering Charlotte. Before he knew it, Ren found himself in the grasp of Charlotte. She tightly wrapped an arm around his neck, whilst holding her combat knife against his throat. Charlotte faced Ann and Ryuji as she threatened them with Ren's life.

"Just stay away! He was meant to be with me!" Charlotte growled. Her fury was quickly returning as her emotions began to delude her mind once again.

"Damnit! This woman is crazy!" Ryuji shouted, preparing his bat for a fight.

"No! Let him go! Please!" Ann begged, her heart beginning to race at the sight of Ren in danger. "H-How could you even dare profess that you love him if you end up holding him at knifepoint like this?!"

"You don't understand! My love for the Trickster outweighs your affections! Just leave him for me!" Charlotte demanded, slowly backing away from Ryuji and Ann as she continued holding Ren in her grasp.

"Charlotte… Please, calm down." Ren tried to talk to her. He kept a hold on her other arm with both hands, while having the cold touch of her combat knife right against his skin.

"Please Charlotte! This isn't the way to do this!" Kasumi pleaded with her once more.

"Give me the damn amulet then and we'll be on our way!" Charlotte yelled over to Kasumi. "I promise – once I have the Trickster for myself, you won't have to deal with me anymore. I swear on my own life!"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" the boy suddenly awakened and broke into their confrontation with his blood-curdling screams.

"What the heck – He's awake again!?" Futaba jumped in fright.

"Why is that dude screaming!?" Ryuji complained whilst he and Ann covered their ears to drown out the yelling.

Suddenly, the light of the Spirit Amulet began to glow brightly in Kasumi's hands, causing her to drop it onto the ground as the light blinded her. Seven of its stones flashing in different colours. Everyone looked away from the amulet as the lights flashed brighter before them, eventually engulfing them in a multitude of colours.

As the lights disappeared, the alleyway was left in its silent state once again - with no sign of anyone there.

**...**

Kasumi began to regain her surroundings. Taking a moment to sit up, she found herself surrounded by her friends in a familiar environment. The cloudy atmosphere outside with a hint of fog passing through. The same rubble pathway leading up to the staircase that connected to the humongous palace floating in the sky.

"This... This air around me. It's so… familiar." Kasumi commented. She took a moment to grasp her surroundings. It was then she realized where she was standing at. "No way… This is the Spirit Palace?! B-But how?"

"Ughh…. What the hell was that all about?" Ryuji groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up from the cobble ground. He looked around in confusion, surprised by the sudden change in environment. "Gaaah!? What the- we are  _totally_  not in Tokyo anymore!"

"W-Where are we?" Futaba spoke up, having woken up beside them as well. She looked around the mysterious realm and looked in awe at the palace in front of them. "A palace… W-Wait… This isn't what I think it is, right?"

"Uhhh… the Metaverse?" Ryuji questioned.

"No. Its… the Spirit Palace we've been hearing about." Ann managed to figure out. She stood directly in front of the entrance to the staircase leading up to the palace. "How did we even get here in the first place!? We were just in Tokyo earlier, weren't we? And then… a light came from that amulet."

"Uhh…. Kasumi? Where'd the amulet go?" Futaba asked, noting that she wasn't holding it anymore.

"Huh? Oh no! I dropped it when it began to glow!" Kasumi panicked. The others began to hastily look around the area, wondering if the amulet had spawned around them.

"Hold on, are we missing someone?" Ryuji asked, taking a quick moment to do a headcount among them. "Shoot, where's Ren? He's not here with us."

"Or Charlotte?" Ann asked. Worry began to overwhelm her mind as she frantically looked around for her boyfriend.

"Do you think she took the amulet and Ren?" Futaba suggested. Fear began to overcome the group when they realized the possible outcome. "Geez – and all I wanted was to sit on the computer all day and do some research on that cool amulet!"

As the group stood in silence to try and figure out what to do, rustling came from the bushes beside the palace's staircase. At first surprised, everyone pulled their guard up as they awaited for the individual to reveal themselves.

"Ren? Is that you?" Ann called out to the bush, hoping that her boyfriend would pop out.

Instead, the same mysterious boy they had just met in the alleyway fell out from the bushes, breathing heavily as he held a hand to his forehead.

"Uh oh, not again." Kasumi gasped, rushing over to the boy's side, everyone else following her.

"Please don't scream again. Pleaaaaaase don't scream again." Futaba prayed. She had just about enough of the boy's screaming in the alley back in Tokyo. "I swear – if he screams again, I'm putting my headphones on and playing my music to full blast."

"Hey, are you okay?" Ann asked, kneeling down to him as she gently brought the boy's head up onto her lap to rest. "How's your head? Does it still hurt?"

"L…Lady Ann…." the boy let out with a weak tone, gently turning his head to face up to Ann.

"W-Wait, what did you just call me?" Ann's eyes widened. Only one person called her that name.

"M-Morgana…" the boy spoke out once again.

"Yes, you were saying his name earlier too," Kasumi reminded him. "What about Morgana? Do you know what happened to him by any chance?"

"No…. Morgana..." the boy shook his head. He slowly pointed to himself this time – with his next few words shocking the group.

"I…. am Morgana."

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	28. Comeback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Morgana and the Phantom Thieves reawaken within the Spirit Realm for a rescue mission."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Welcome again, fellow reader! We've got another thrilling installment to this story as we slowly approach the ending. More emotional moments and awesome action are coming up, so make sure to get comfy as you read this new episode!
> 
> In terms of Persona 5 news - we've got a new trailer revealing the release date offor the West - March 31, 2020! I'm patiently waiting to put up my pre-order for the Phantom Thieves edition - which for whatever reason, hasn't been posted up in my area. I just can't believe that we're gradually getting closer to the release.
> 
> Hope you have a good weekend! Cheers!

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 28: COMEBACK**

* * *

 **~ The Spirit Palace ~  
** **Room of Attribution**

The group took refuge within the Spirit Palace, heading into the Room of Attribution – home of the Spirit Amulet. At the moment, Morgana, Kasumi, Futaba, Ryuji and Ann gathered around atop the room's altar.

"So… you really are Morgana?" Ann asked.

"Yeah… It's a long story, but for the most part I had woken up in Tokyo with no memory," Morgana began to explain as he sat at the top of the altar's staircase in his human form, facing away from the others. "At first, I didn't know what was going on. I was outside Cafe Leblanc in the middle of the night when I had woken up."

"You didn't try to go to Sojiro for help?" Ryuji asked.

"Sojiro wouldn't have even recognized Morgana in his human form to begin with," Futaba reminded him. "Plus, Morgana had no recollection of any memory whatsoever. He probably didn't even know what Cafe Leblanc was."

"I was so confused… so dazed at the time. My chest and head hurt really bad, so I figured that I had just gotten into a fight and blacked out," Morgana continued. "I thought my memory would come back, but I knew something was wrong when nothing came to my mind for a whole week.

"So you were all by yourself for a whole month? How did you even survive?" Kasumi asked.

"Well, I did a bit of exploring and got into a comfortable routine pretty quickly in order to support myself. It was surprisingly easy to grab a part-time job from the kiosks since they always seemed to be hiring. I saved up money from that and was able to eat food whenever I was hungry, or go to the bathhouse to wash up," Morgana explained. "Of course, I did end up going to Cafe Leblanc a couple times for coffee. But like you brought up, Sojiro and I didn't recognize each other before."

"Where did you sleep though? I mean, no offense, but hearing your story, I thought that you'd end up wearing some hobo clothes," Futaba asked, going over to Morgana to feel his black hoodie, which appeared to be clean and well taken care of.

"I mean, there's also a laundromat right beside the bathhouse, remember? So whenever I was washing myself up, I'd also wash my clothes at the same time," Morgana clarified. "And in terms of sleeping – I'll be honest, I found out about the attic in Cafe Leblanc and would sleep there and sneak out when Sojiro wasn't looking."

"Huh, sneaking in and out without ever getting caught? Even when you couldn't remember who you were, you really are a thief at heart, huh?" Ann commented, finding herself with a smile on her face, impressed with Morgana's natural street smarts. "I'm amazed that you were able to survive this long in the city by yourself, Mona."

"Yeah man! Managing by yourself for that long deserves some respect!" Ryuji added, resting a hand on Morgana's shoulders. "You're super independent dude. I'd forgotten how capable you were by yourself – even when you were in your cat form."

"Speaking of forms – how does it feel to be human?" Kasumi asked. "I assume it must feel weird for you, hmm?"

"It's like I have a whole new set of tools that I can use!" Morgana exclaimed. He took a moment to look down to his hands and began wiggling them in glee. He hopped in place to get more of a feeling with his feet. "I feel like I have so much more freedom with having a human body!"

"Wooooooo! I know right? Being human is  _sooo_  fun!" Futaba happily joined with Morgana, the two grabbing each others arms and began spinning around.

"I'm super happy that you're enjoying being human, but how exactly did you become like this?" Ann asked, watching as Kasumi joined Morgana and Futaba as they spun around in circles. She waited in amusement as the trio had their fun before getting down to business.

"On how I became human – I'm still trying to figure that out. But so far, I believe that Justine was involved in it somehow," Morgana answered. As expected, everyone looked at him in confusion as they had no prior knowledge of the velvet twin. "Uhhh… she was the other person with me when I battled with Charlotte before. The voices I'd been hearing in my head throughout the last month sounded eerily familiar to hers."

"So that's why you've been screaming non-stop all of sudden back in Tokyo?" Futaba concluded. "This Justine girl's voice must've been echoing in your head the entire time and had driven you to madness."

"Makes sense, I mean, anyone would go crazy if they kept hearing a mysterious voice talking to them." Ryuji commented.

"Where is this Justine girl anyway?" Ann asked.

"I don't know. I just know that her voice kept saying to come back to the palace. I assume it was to come here and finish the job." Morgana explained. "I kind of hoped that she would be here when I returned – maybe to explain why I became human at all. But I feel that there was another reason why she was calling me to come here."

"Well, we're here in this palace alright – with that crazy shadow chick out on the loose." Ryuji brought up.

"And Ren, she probably has him in her clutches along with the Spirit Amulet," Kasumi reminded them. "We need to find them and ensure his safety!"

"Right. Futaba, are you able to call your Persona?" Morgana asked her. "I usually have Risette utilizing her navigational skills, but I'm a lot more comfortable with yours, if I'm being honest."

"W-Wait? We can call our Personas here?" Futaba gasped. She took a moment to mentally prepare herself, shaking her limbs in place. "Okay okay okay. This may take awhile though - I haven't done this in a long time!" Mustering up the energy, Futaba focused on the familiar power. A great energy swelled throughout her body as she unleashed her Persona.

"PERSSOOOONAAAAA!" Futaba called out. Immediately, her entire body engulfed itself in flames as her suit appeared with fluorescent neon green stripes and pair of black goggles. She hopped around in excitement at she saw Prometheus floating above her. "Yeeeeeees! The Oracle is back, baby!"

"That's freakin' awesome! My turn!" Ryuji excitedly followed suite. He called out his Persona as the same blue flames ignited around him. Ryuji found himself dressed in his recognizable black outfit and skull mask, along with his ultimate Persona Seitan Taisei accompanying him. "Yeaaaaaaah! Skull is back to kick some ass!"

"Cool! Time to bring back the Panther!" Ann exclaimed. Following the others, Ann yelled out for her Persona to come out. Blue flames surrounded her entire body as her iconic red latex suit, panther mask and whip appeared. Immediately, Ann began making slight adjustments to her outfit – specifically her chest area. "Oooof… uhm, this feels a little tighter than I remember.

"You just never stop growing, huh Ann?" Futaba commented. She ended up getting a slap on the arm by Kasumi. "Ow! I was just making an observation, that's all!"

"What about you, Kasumi? You said you've been in this dimension before, so what's your Persona and outfit?" Ryuji asked, intrigued to see her powers.

"Oh, right! I'll get right on it." Kasumi prepared herself before calling out her Persona. Blue flames surrounded her as she was fitted in her gymnastics outfit paired with the black longcoat and rapier. Her Persona – Cendrillon, appeared above her in fabulous glory. "Well! What do you guys think!?"

"D-Dude…. A-Are those leotards that you're wearing?" Ryuji gawked, unable to resist the urge to stare at Kasumi's legs – more specifically, her exposed thighs.

"Ryuji! Eyes up, will you?" Ann lectured him, immediately grabbing his ear and gently pulling it to get his attention.

"GAAAH! Alright alright! I'm not looking anymore!" Ryuji yelled in pain, stepping away from Ann as he rubbed his ear.

"Guess it's my turn then – Personaaaaaa!" Morgana called out. His Persona, Mercurius – appeared above him. Unfortunately, his appearance remained unchanged as he retained his casual attire from reality.

"Awww – no cool outfit for human Morgana, hmm?" Ann crossed her elbows in disappointment.

"Was kinda hoping a cat suit would appear on him." Futaba chuckled out.

"Well, I guess I should just be blessed with my human form anyway. It's more than enough of a transformation," Morgana stated. "Futaba, mind doing us a scan of the entire palace? See if you can find anything abnormal around here, preferably if there's any spike of shadow energy within a specific region."

"Yessir!" Futaba replied. She did not hesitate to activate Prometheus' navigational powers as she took a good look at the Spirit Palace's structure. "Oooooooooh! This palace has got everything! A dungeon, garden, library – soooooooo many towers! This is soooo dope!"

"Someone's super excited to use their powers again," Ryuji chuckled. He turned over to Morgana and nodded over to him, sensing a different attitude from his friend. "Hey man, couldn't notice at how different you're acting since you got your memory back."

"Yeah, it's like you've grown to be more of a leader. Just like Ren." Ann commented.

"Well, Morgana had taken the leadership role ever since we started doing missions as the  _Spirit Guardians_ ," Kasumi explained, looking over to Morgana with a proud look. "I'll admit, you've become a natural at it too."

"Heheh, thanks! It feels good to be back in action, especially with you guys." Morgana stated, referring to Ryuji and Ann. "I didn't realize how much I missed doing this stuff with y'all, seeing as you two were one of the first I got to go on these kinds of missions with."

"You've always been the inspiration to keep our team going. I'm just really glad that you're back!" Ann expressed. She turned over to Ryuji, noticing that he was holding in his laughter. "Hmm? What's so funny?"

"Pffffft! W-What kind of name is  _Spirit Guardian_ s? It sounds so stupid! _"_ Ryuji snorted at the cheesy name, which ended up with him receiving a slap on the back of his head by Ann. "Hey! You gotta admit though, its not  _nearly_ as cool as the Phantom Thieves!"

"Ya know, you could take a couple notes or two from Morgana about maturity." Ann rolled her eyes at him. After dealing with Ryuji's usual mischief, Ann gestured her head down as if a train of thought came to her mind. "Hey Morgana… mind if I talk to you for a bit?"

"Hmm? Oh, sure." Morgana answered. He and Ann went off to the other side of the altar. It took him a moment to adjust to the idea that he was almost the same height as Ann, now being able to look at her eye to eye. "Heheh, you know, it's sort of nice to have a closer look at your eyes. You have a nice shade of blue."

"Thanks." Ann nodded. She took a moment, contemplating at what she was about to ask. "Morgana, I just need to know. Why did you spend all these months protecting my relationship with me and Ren?"

"Ohh…. uhh," Morgana took a moment to think, caught off-guard by Ann's question, although he knew he should've seen this coming once they discovered of his adventures in the Spirit Palace. Figuring that he needed to be honest, Morgana laid down everything on the table for Ann. "Well… You deserve to know everything about this, Ann. I guess I can say it all sort of started on Valentines Day when I saw you and Ren together…"

"Right. I'm… sorry about that." Ann apologized, taking a moment to choose her words carefully. "Uhmm, I knew that you did have a big crush on me from the very beginning, but to be honest, I never really acknowledged it since I didn't want to get your hopes up."

"I know… me being a cat and all, it wouldn't have worked out realistically," Morgana completed her train of thought, taking a moment to chuckle at his previous affections for Ann. "To get back to your question – the twins called me to help them power up the Spirit Amulet for their own personal reasons, but I think my own desires went kind of askew when they said I had a chance to become human. The possibility made me realize that I could possibly change fate with you and I."

"Ohh… So your whole purpose to becoming human was for you to have another chance with me?" Ann questioned, raising a brow at Morgana's intentions.

"N-No! At least, not anymore, Ann." Morgana sighed. "Listen Ann, through all my adventures in this palace, observing your relationship with Ren and understanding these attributes of what makes a relationship strong, I've learned to accept this reality and your love for Ren. And recently learning about this helped me to move on and desire to protect your relationship."

Ann continued listening to Morgana's side of his story - about the various battles he faced with cognitions of their family and friends within the Spirit Palace, the lessons he learned from watching Ren and Ann's relationship flourish through every obstacle they faced. Hearing Morgana's sacrifice in every trial – both in reality and on an emotional level, touched Ann's heart in a way that no one had ever done before - with the only exception being Ren Amamiya.

Morgana looked up to Ann, seeing how understanding she was of his struggles. For a moment, Morgana felt himself blush and feel his emotions for her return – but he quickly caught himself and shook the thought out of his head.

"Ann… when you truly love someone, you gotta let them go and do what's best for them – even if it means sacrificing your own happiness." Morgana stated.

"Yeah…. I agree." Ann let out a gentle smile to him. "Morgana, I'm super proud of the person you've grown into – both figuratively and literally, heheh. I'm sure you'll find someone out there for you, I mean, you've got a human body now! The possibilities are endless for you!"

"Y-Yeah! You're totally right, Lady Ann!" Morgana chuckled. Ann's energy and optimism was always something he appreciated to keep his spirit up.

Out of nowhere, Ann walked up closer to Morgana and gave him a small peck on the cheek, causing him to become flustered once more as he quickly turned red.

"Take it as my thanks for sacrificing so much to keep Ren and I happy. I'm glad to have you as our own guardian angel to our relationship." Ann affirmed, giving him a smile of gratitude.

"Of course..." Morgana smiled back, immediately looking down to hide his embarrassment. At first, he felt a bit guilty that Ann had given him a kiss behind Ren's back – but dang it, would he take that gesture over nothing at all!

"Guys! I've got a reading!" Futaba called them over. Analyzing the data that Prometheus gathered, Futaba concluded an area with a spike of shadow energy. "It looks like there's activity happening within this palace's master bedroom."

"Maybe Ren is there?" Kasumi suggested.

"There's only one way we can find out." Ryuji replied. He took out his bat and began making practice swings in the air. "I'm gonna make sure I knock that shadow out cold so it won't bother with us anymore!"

"I just wanna rescue my man!" Ann stated - her heart burning with desire to ensure Ren's safety. She turned over to Morgana and nodded to him. "Well, you're the one most familiar to the palace. Lead the way, leader!"

"Right!" Morgana answered, He took a quick glance at his team – grateful that he had Ann, Ryuji, Futaba and Kasumi by his side once again. No matter who was on his team at moment, Morgana always felt motivated to lead them to victory. He motioned them to follow him out of the Room of Attribution and venture off into the Spirit Palace.

"Let's go Phantom Thieves!"

* * *

**\- The Azure Dimension -**

Within another pocket space similar to the Spirit Realm lied the shadow's domain. It stood silently in peace with nothing but the expansive land of ice that spanned for miles and miles into the azure horizon.

Its only inhabitant was an unconscious Ren.

"What the… w-where am I?" Ren groaned, gently sitting up as he rubbed his head. He looked around, surprised to find nothing but ice all around him. To his confusion, the atmosphere itself did not feel cold as he expected.

"I'm glad you're awake, my Trickster." the voice of Charlotte spoke from behind. Ren hastily turned around to find Charlotte appearing in a luminous sparkle of blue light as she entered the frozen dimension. He also noticed the Spirit Amulet worn around her neck with its seven stones glowing in unison. "I ensured that the temperature was to your liking. I did not want you to suffer any detrimental issues from the sub-zero effects while you were asleep."

"Charlotte, where did you take me?" Ren demanded, taking a stance from her. "And what did you do to my friends?"

"Do not worry, for your friends are safe and sound, I promise." Charlotte assured him, taking a couple gentle steps closer to Ren. "As of this place you've awakened in – it is my special domain that I created for myself. I hope to share this place with you while we bond."

Ren took a moment to look around the dimension, finding it eerily quiet. Was he not in reality anymore? But perhaps, a space similar to the Metaverse? So many questions rose into Ren's mind, yet the only one he could question was the very person who seemingly kidnapped him.

"So… what's your purpose in bringing me here, Charlotte?" Ren asked, taking a moment to ease himself with her. He figured that since she was the only one in this world to talk with, that he would need to play nice for the meantime – until he could come up with a plan.

"Trickster – all I've desired for the entirety of my life is to get to know you better," Charlotte began her spiel as she inched closer to Ren. Her facial expression showed one of genuine emotion – something that Ren was surprised to see from an embodiment created by shadow attributes. "You've become the light in my world. Please, just give me an opportunity to show my worth to you."

"Charlotte, how can you say that I am your light when you barely even know me?" Ren questioned her.

"Did you forget, Trickster? The mind and memories of the other velvet twin rests in my soul - along with my own experience in feeling your presence within the Spirit Palace. I've always been with you in every obstacle you've faced in the past year." Charlotte explained. "I know its confusing, my Trickster – but I am my own entity influenced by the bonds and spirit of others. But I've grown my own conscious – which has grown a heart in devotion to you."

"Then you know who my heart is devoted to." Ren reminded her.

"NO! Enough of your supposed Lover! I don't care if you've known her longer than me! I believe that  _I_  should be the one you give your heart to!" Charlotte yelled, stomping on the frozen ice floor and creating a shock that shook the dimension they were in.

Ren gritted his teeth, unsure of how to handle Charlotte's stubbornness. He took a moment to recollect everything he'd learned about Charlotte and the Spirit Palace within the past few hours, as explained to him by Kasumi. Charlotte's body was created through the life force of Caroline – while her character and powers originated from the shadow attributes manifesting together every time Morgana and his team collected the Spirit Attributes for the amulet.

Maybe in order to get out of this situation, he needed to cater to Caroline's spirit within? Charlotte had stated that part of her mind held the velvet twin's memory.

Ren figured that it was worth the shot. Taking a deep breath, he began to put up a different persona in order to cater towards Charlotte's desperate heart.

"Charlotte, I understand that you're yearning to build a relationship with me. And maybe… just maybe, I'm the one who is in the wrong for not being open-minded." Ren started.

"Trickster… I don't blame you. You've been fooled to think that you're in love with your current lover." Charlotte assured him.

"I believe that both of us need to understand each other more." Ren continued. "Why don't we go on a little journey together? Just the two of us, back in reality. No one will have to know."

"You… truly mean that, Trickster?" Charlotte's yellow eyes beamed, a mix of surprise and joy sparkling on her face.

"Yes… With my experience in having found true love, I am hoping that I can show you what that feeling is." Ren stated, holding a hand out for Charlotte to take.

"Yes… please, that's all I ask for from you!" Charlotte expressed with gratitude. She almost jumped in joy at the opportunity given to her, but ensured to keep herself calm in order to remain mature in the eyes of Ren. "Oh! I can use my powers to bring us anywhere you'd like, whenever you want! We'll have all the time in the world to understand each other!"

"Sound like a plan." Ren nodded. He took a moment to ponder where they could go, eventually figuring out the perfect destination. "Charlotte… Why don't we make our first stop at a place where I feel most comfortable? I hope to share that comfort with you."

"Yes! Anything for you, my Trickster!" Charlotte responded eagerly.

"Then take us to Okumaru Cafe, please." Ren commanded.

With a swift motion of her hand, Charlotte used utilized her revived powers to teleport them back into reality. Both their bodies disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving the frozen world silent once again.

* * *

 **~ The Spirit Palace ~  
** **Master Bedroom**

The Phantom Thieves had battled their way through the many floors of the Spirit Palace, fighting against many shadows that interfered in their mission to the palace's Master Bedroom - where the spike of energy originated. For the group, it felt like hours had passed throughout their infiltration in the palace. The group did their best to utilize the various safe rooms found in the expansive Spirit Palace to rest up and look back on their progress. Eventually, they were inching closer to their goal – yet the nearer they got to their destination, the rowdier the shadows in the palace became.

"Take this, you shadow bastards!" Ryuji yelled as they battled through the carpeted hallways of the palace. He summoned his Persona as he struck down a powerful  _Maziodyne_  spell – zapping a multitude of enemies around their group.

"Nice going, Skull!" Kasumi commented as she nonchalantly took out a smaller group of shadows with a  _Makoga_ spell.

"Kasumi! On your left!" Ann yelled out to her.

"Wha- GAAAAAH!" Kasumi screamed as she was taken by surprise, receiving a mighty blow from her side by a larger shadow attack. She tumbled against the floor as her back slid and slammed against the wall. She cried out in pain as a group of shadows began to corner her.

"Stay away from her!" Morgana demanded. He initiated a powerful  _Magarudyne_ spell, combined with Ann's abilities as she jumped in to help by casting a flaming  _Marigidyne_ attack. The combination of fire and wind did a great deal of damage against the shadows as they immediately succumbed to the attacks and left Kasumi alone.

"Come on! I've got you." Ryuji said as he rushed over to Kasumi's side and helped her up. "Can you walk by any chance?"

"Grrrgh… I… I think I sprained my ankle." Kasumi groaned in pain, hobbling on one foot as she winced in pain, holding onto Ryuji to keep her balance.

"No worries, I've got you." Ryuji assured, immediately sweeping Kasumi off her feet and began carrying her bridal style, much to the girl's surprise. "Morgana! Ann! Keep us safe, okay?"

"Gotcha!" Ann responded as she took out another shadow with a quick  _Agidyne_  spell.

"Quick! This way guys! We're almost there!" Futaba directed them, pointing their group over to a spiralling staircase leading up to the Master Bedroom. The group began to follow her up the staircase, fighting against the shadows that blocked their way. Eventually, the group managed to reach the main doors of the Master Bedroom.

"Uggh! It's locked!" Ann yelled in frustration. She attempted to kick down the doors – to no avail.

"Stand back!" Morgana commanded. Using his Persona's abilities, he conjured up a strong gust of wind to open up the locked doors of the bedroom. "Come on! Everyone get inside!"

The Phantom Thieves scrambled their way into the master bedroom. Futaba and Ann quickly closed the doors, attempting to find the lock. Kasumi utilized her Persona's abilities and managed to create a forcefield made up of her bless energy around the door to prevent the shadows from breaking in.

"Phew! I didn't think they would stop coming." Ann breathed out in relief.

"Man… I'm exhausted." Ryuji took a moment to catch his breath. "Geez, it's been awhile since I've done this kind of running before. I forgot how tiring it was to infiltrate palaces."

"Uhm… Ryuji? You can let me down now, you know." Kasumi got his attention, waiting patiently in Ryuji's arms.

"Shit, sorry!" Ryuji yelped. Without thinking, he immediately dropped Kasumi as she fell onto the bedroom floor with a loud thud. "Holy crap! Kasumi! I didn't mean to drop you like that!"

"Geez, way to be a gentleman, Ryuji!" Futaba grumbled as she went over to help Kasumi up.

"I-I'm fine!" Kasumi assured them. She gave Ryuji a grateful smile. "Thanks for carrying me all the way up those stairs. You're a real hero in my book!"

"Ehh, don't mention it!" Ryuji gave her a thumbs-up.

"Here - I'll help Kasumi heal up while you guys can take a moment to rest." Morgana assured. With Futaba's help, Morgana helped Kasumi up and led her over to the king-sized bed within the centre of the bedroom. "Why don't you lay down Kasumi? The effects of my healing spell will process faster if you don't move."

"Not moving shouldn't be a problem for me, heh." Kasumi joked, attempting to make her situation more lighthearted. She closed her eyes while Morgana cast a  _Diarahan_ spell over her. In no time, Kasumi felt her entire body replenish with energy and her ankle felt better in no time. "Thanks Mona-chan! You're such a great healer, you know."

"Hah, tell me something I don't know." Morgana joked.

Taking a moment to gather their surroundings, the Phantom Thieves looked around the Master Bedroom, noting its expansive space and fancy decorations – which mostly consisted of a royal blue and metallic gold theme by its furniture and colours.

"This bedroom… I don't know why, but this room just feels different compared to the rest of the palace." Ann commented as she cautiously looked around.

"Well, there seems to be a strong presence around this area – but even I'm not exactly sure what it is." Futaba explained. She took a moment to use Prometheus' powers to analyze the master bedroom more thoroughly, eventually finding a special oddity near them. "Aha! That book over on the desk! I smell something mysterious about it!"

Morgana and the others walked over to the desk by the corner, which peered out a large window to give a glimpse of the palace's garden outside. Inspecting the desk, they found an abnormally large brown book placed in the centre. At initial glimpse to the group – the book didn't seem out of the ordinary.

To Morgana however, the voice that had been speaking to him throughout the last month came back and echoed in his head when he read the title of the book:

" _Le Grimoire"_

"Grrrgh…" Morgana groaned, taking a step back as he held a hand to his head, feeling the same headache come back to him.

"Hey! Morgana! Are you alright?" Kasumi called over to him from the bed.

"Yo! You still with us, bro?" Ryuji asked. He went up to Morgana's side and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm… fine. But the voice…. I think… Justine is calling me again." Morgana explained. He took another glance at the book once more and received a command from the voice in his head.

" _ **Mona-chan… Please… open the book."**_

"Justine… is that really you?" Morgana whispered to himself.

Taking a moment to regain his focus, Morgana mustered up the strength and went over to the desk. With his headache slowly subsiding, Morgana reached down to the book and felt an energy from the book itself – as if it were alive. Memories flashed within his mind as he gradually remembered the contents of the book and the original owner being Lavenza - the initiator who had given him his assignment to gather the attributes of the Spirit Amulet.

"I guess this is all coming full circle." Morgana chuckled, feeling as if his adventure was eventually coming to its climax.

Morgana opened up the book as a flash of white light broke out from the book's pages. The rest of the group looked away as the light eventually subsided. As the group looked over to the book, they noticed a faint blue figure standing on top of its pages. They appeared to be made up of a void of dark blue stars that shimmered around the figure. The figure took shape of a young girl sporting a dress along with butterfly ornaments.

"Is this the Justine that you were talking about?" Ann asked Morgana.

"No… This is... Lavenza?" Morgana answered. Even he was confused as much as the others as they took a moment to comprehend her sudden appearance.

" _ **I am grateful that you made it, Morgana."**_ Lavenza's spirit greeted them. She floated from the book and landed in the middle of the master bedroom. Everyone's eyes remained glued on her as she simply stood there in silence.

"This is getting weirder and weirder every second." Futaba whispered over to Ryuji. The boy could only shrug in agreement.

"Lavenza? But… how is this possible?" Morgana asked. "Caroline and Justine had split and both their life forces are diminished. How are you still alive?"

" _ **I had come up with a fail-safe long ago on the off-chance that either halves of my soul had disappeared,"**_ Lavenza's spirit explained.  _ **"A part of my spirit was left contained in the book I carried, which would call out to the last person I had conversed with."**_

"Ohh, so it's like a back-up of your data stored in an emergency drive? That's actually pretty cool!" Futaba exclaimed.

"None of this is making  _any_ sense to me." Ryuji groaned. He tried to keep up with the situation at hand, yet felt his head hurting from trying to understand what was happening.

"So, you're the voice that's been inside my head the whole time?" Morgana concluded. "I see… then Lavenza, can you explain what's been going within the past few days? What's been going on with Charlotte? Is there a way to stop her? And most importantly, why am I suddenly human?"

" _ **I apologize for the confusion for all of you, but everything will come together very soon."**_ Lavenza's spirit assured them. " _ **Morgana – I want to commend you for making it this far in your journey. As my spirit has watched over you in the past few months, I must acknowledge your perseverance at the assignment I had given you. You've truly understood the foundations of what a bond entitles."**_

"Yeah – we get it. Morgana has sacrificed a lot for his friends and is now a true guru to relationship, blah blah blah." Ryuji jumped in, already losing his patience. "Now mind telling us what we gotta do next? We've been looking for Ren for hours and we came to this bedroom thinking he'd be here!"

"Ryuji, please be polite to the magic girl," Kasumi rolled her eyes at him.

" _ **Morgana, my life force is different compared to other beings. I am able to give life to those who contain strong desires,"**_ Lavenza's spirit started explaining.  _ **"You and the shadow have one thing in common – both being born out of the energies of different worlds. You in the Metaverse, while Charlotte out of this Spirit Realm. Yet you both represent different purposes – each reflecting opposing sides of light and dark."**_

"What are you trying to say, Lavenza?" Morgana asked, listening intently to her speech.

" _ **As Charlotte has the ability to sustain her physical form by taking in Caroline's life force – you have been able to survive and sustain your current human form through the unity of Justine's powers."**_ Lavenza's spirit clarified.

"W-Wait… so just to make sure we're understanding all of this – Morgana's human form is due to Justine's life force combining with Morgana's spirit?" Ann tried to wrap her mind around this revelation.

"Huh… makes sense to why you kept hearing the likes of Justine's voice inside your head." Futaba acknowledged.

"I'm  _still_ not understanding all of this!" Ryuji groaned, rubbing the back of his head in further confusion.

"Okay, I get it. During our battle with Charlotte in her world – when I tried to sacrifice myself to save Ren and Ann's relationship, Justine used the last of her powers to give her life force to me in order to keep my spirit alive." Morgana summarized the revelation. It took a moment for him to fathom Justine's selflessness, but he understood that her action originated from her belief for him to move on and continued with life.

Morgana took a moment to look at his own hands and flesh, feeling grateful of Justine's sacrifice. "Justine…. If you can hear me… Thank you."

"So that explains why Morgana is human, but what about Charlotte?" Kasumi reminded them. "She's still out there with Ren – possibly in possession with the Spirit Amulet. Who knows what kind of craziness she is capable of!"

" _ **Morgana, this whole adventure began with your desire to find a purpose exceeding your affections with the Trickster's lover,"**_ Lavenza's spirit spoke. " _ **You've displayed a journey of growth and selflessness, understanding that there is more to a bond than mere infatuation."**_

Lavenza's spirit waved a hand in the air, providing an image of the Spirit Amulet made up of light. Around it were seven different colored lights – each representing the spirit stones that contained an attribute of a bond.

" _ **You've spent months understanding the complexities of a relationship. Obtaining the powers of Joy, Service, Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, Patience and Common Purpose. Now, you must finish your quest by ensuring that the Spirit Amulet is complete."**_

"Sorry, Lavenza. But we have no interest in the amulet anymore. We just want to get Ren back." Ann interrupted. "Listen, I still don't know why Ren and I have a palace of our own that represents our bond, or why there is so much importance to this amulet you keep speaking on and on about. My priority is my boyfriend – I want to make sure he is safe along with my friends."

Ann walked over to Lavenza's spirit, giving her a firm look that she wasn't playing around anymore.

"Now please, just tell us where to find Ren and we'll be on our way."

" _ **I understand. Your heart is fully dedicated for the Trickster, just as it should be."**_ Lavenza's spirit nodded to Ann.  _ **"I will show you the path to where the Trickster and Charlotte is. But before I can show you the way – I have one final test."**_

"What will it be then?" Morgana asked.

" _ **Not for you, Morgana."**_ Lavenza's spirit turned back to Ann.  _ **"But for the Lover."**_

"Huh? What do you want from me?" Ann followed up.

" _ **The Trickster's Lover – Ann Takamaki. You have been blessed with this special bond with our Trickster. I must ask you – do you truly love him?"**_

"Huh? O-Of course! I do love him!" Ann answered, although a little embarrassed in having to say those exact words in front of her friends.

"Awwww, so sweet." Futaba teased her.

"What's the point of asking? She's been in a relationship with Ren for more than a year – of course Ann loves him." Ryuji shook his head, finding no point in this discussion.

" _ **My second question, Ann Takamaki,"**_ Lavenza's spirit paused before moving on.  _ **"Do you have the will… to let go of Ren Amamiya?"**_

"W-What!?" Ann stepped back, shocked at Lavenza's questions. Her friends also expressed surprised, remaining silent as they awaited for Ann's answer. "What kind of question is this? Why would you even ask me that at all?"

" _ **What is your answer, Takamaki-san?"**_ Lavenza's spirit demanded.

"Lavenza… I don't think this is an appropriate question to ask right now." Morgana attempted to reason with her.

" _ **Morgana - I must know if the ones directly involved in the bond we've been protecting truly understand what is at stake."**_ Lavenza told him. She turned back to Ann and awaited her response.

The group remained in silent as Ann stood there, thinking about Lavenza's question. For a moment, Ann appeared to struggle with her answer. The more she thought of her own reasons, the more she doubted on her reasoning against Lavenza's question.

"I...I think I'm understanding where Lavenza is coming from," Ann suddenly spoke up.

"What do you mean, Ann?" Morgana asked.

To his surprise, Ann shed a tear from her eye as immense guilt overcame her.

"Let's be honest, Morgana – you've been putting in a lot more effort into sustaining this relationship than either Ren and I have been." Ann stated, taking a moment to wipe a tear away. "You've literally been going in and out of this palace fighting against shadows and jumping into reality to check up on us without ever expecting anything back. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm capable of exerting the same efforts as you or Ren."

"Ann, that's not true. You've worked just as hard, if not more – to keep this relationship together." Morgana tried to help Ann see her own dedication in her relationship with Ren. "Yes, there were moments when things didn't go right and you almost gave up, but in the end, you made the choice to pull through and fight for your relationship! That was all you!"

"Morgana is right." Kasumi joined their conversation, standing up from the bed and joining Morgana's side. "As someone who's also observed your relationship from the side, there were many times that you were willing to go above and beyond to sustain your relationship with Ren. You've put in a lot of emotional sacrifice and stood by his side through the toughest situations I've ever witnessed personally."

"You were the first one ever to acknowledge Ren when he came to Tokyo," Morgana reminded her. "You'd sacrifice your time to call him every night while you both lived in different cities, stayed persistent and strong when many other people attacked your relationship and remained loyal to Ren when everything seemed to fall apart! You can't place yourself too short on your own efforts, Ann!"

Ann took a moment to take in her friend's encouragements to heart. Was she just being too hard on herself at the moment? Right now, all she could ever think of were the sacrifices that Ren and Morgana had made for her – yet had difficulty in recalling any of her own efforts.

Did she truly deserve to be with Ren?

" _ **Takamaki-san… What is your answer?"**_ Lavenza's spirt asked once more.

Taking a few more moments to think, Ann finally had her answer.

"I've truly been blessed with so many loved ones who have been willing to sacrifice a lot for my own happiness. My parents, Shiho, Ren – even you Morgana." Ann finally spoke, taking a deep breath as she calmed herself down. "People have come and gone so many times too, and I thought I finally found someone who would remain consistent in my life – someone like Ren who would do anything for me."

Everyone continued listening to Ann's speech as she gave a determined look towards Lavenza.

"But I'm now realizing that sacrifices in a relationship means that you shouldn't always expect everything to go your way." Ann continued. "I always felt that sacrificing meant that you would reap a greater reward in the end. But Morgana, seeing how you chose to sacrifice yourself so many times without expecting anything sort of trade off for yourself, I can finally see what true love for someone is."

Ann took a deep breath, finally coming to a resolve on the question if she would be able to make a sacrifice and let go of Ren.

"I do love Ren. My entire heart is for him. But if I had to choose between my happiness or his – I would no doubt go for Ren's." Ann stated without hesitation, another tear welling up in her eye. "Right now, I just want him to come home safely. And if it meant that we'd go our separate ways in the future, then so be it. I love Ren enough to have to let him go and see him live happily. I just know that I'm grateful that I got to be in such a wonderful relationship with a guy like Ren Amamiya."

" _ **I understand."**_ Lavenza's spirit took a moment to process Ann's answer. She slowly nodded. " _ **Very well. I sense that your very own spirit is willing to sacrifice anything for the well-being of the Trickster's – a real display of what true love is. I will help lead you and your team to Charlotte in order to finish all of this."**_

"Thank you..." Ann nodded back. The wave of guilt in her heart finally passed as she came to a resolve that she was strong enough accept whatever fate would happen after their upcoming encounter. "As long as Ren comes home safe. That is our priority right now."

"Awwwwww! Ann! Come here!" Futaba squealed, running over to Ann and gave her a hug to comfort her. "You get really emotional when it comes to Ren, you know?"

"I understand how hard of an answer that you made Ann, even if it was only hypothetical," Kasumi added, coming up to Ann and gave her a hug of her own. "Ren is just a lucky to have a girlfriend who will to look out for his own happiness as well."

"Don't worry, Ann. We'll help you get Ren back!" Ryuji winked and gave her a thumbs-up. "And to be honest, I see you and Ren being happy together for a long time! There's no way that anything would get in between the both of you!"

"Thanks guys. It means a lot to have your support." Ann smiled, her heart feeling overwhelmed with so many emotions. She was lucky to have her friends by her side – which gave Ann more assurance that whatever sacrifices she would have to make, that in the end – she would still have people there to love her.

"W-Wait! Before we leave, mind doing us one more favour, Lavenza?" Morgana asked. "I feel like a huge battle will be coming up soon. Knowing how I almost died on the last encounter, we'd definitely need more hands to help. You wouldn't happen to have the ability to summon other people into the Spirit Realm, huh Lavenza?"

" _ **My life force may be restrained in this realm, but my powers are still capable of reaching out into your reality,"**_ Lavenza's spirit answered.  _ **"Therefore, the action you suggested would be possible. What did you have in mind, Mona-chan?"**_

"Ooooooh! We should definitely call in the rest of the Phantom Thieves!" Ryuji exclaimed. "They'd totally be down to use their Persona powers again!"

"I agree, but I think we'll need a little more help this time," Morgana already had in mind on who he was going to call. Seeing as this would possibly be their final mission throughout the Spirit Palace – it would only be fitting to end this journey with those he began it with.

" _ **I believe I understand who you'd like to call."**_ Lavenza's spirit read Morgana's mind, providing him with a small smirk.

"Then you know what to do, Lavenza. Call up both the Phantom Thieves and Spirit Guardians!"

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	29. Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ren and Charlotte form an unexpected bond. The Phantom Thieves and Spirit Guardians join together for one final battle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi there, fellow reader! First of all, my deepest apologies for missing last week's update. Last Friday, I made one of the most dumbest decisions this year by accidentally deleting ALL of my writing ideas and chapters that I had completed in advance – which included this week's update and content for my other stories. Fortunately, the last two chapters of this story currently remain intact – but I had to spend this entire week rewriting this very episode that you are reading right now.
> 
> No worries though, we're almost close to the end of this grand tale – and I promised myself I wouldn't move on to any other projects until I completed this story. But with the delay of this chapter, that means the whole schedule will be postponed, meaning that the last chapter won't be posted unti January 4th.
> 
> Oh yeah, I did state in a prior chapter that this story would be completed in 30 chapters, but I ended up creating more content than expected, which means the finale will be set in Chapter 31 – meaning some more wholesome moments with Shuann and the rest of the cast!
> 
> So, without further delay, let's move on with the story! I hope you enjoy! And happy holidays in advance! Cheers!

****

* * *

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 29: TOGETHER AGAIN**

* * *

 _**\- NOVEMBER -  
** _ _**Kyoto, Japan  
** _ _**Okumaru Cafe  
** _ _**Evening** _

With Charlotte's powers, Ren found himself with her along the upper outdoor floor of Okumaru Cafe within his hometown. Finding a table for the two of them, Ren ordered their drinks and desserts as they took a moment to relax. At the moment, Ren's mind focused on the task to understand Charlotte's heart more, with the hopes of catering to her lighter side of emotions.

"What a magnificent venue you chose, my Trickster." Charlotte admired as she looked around the beautifully decorated cafe space. "And what good timing too – on such a nice evening with the stars shining brightly above for us."

"Yeah, glad you like it." Re replied, bringing along a tray with two mugs of hot chocolate and their dessert for them to share. He handed a fork for Charlotte. "Here, have you ever tried tried cheesecake before?"

"Not yet! But I am excited to adventure the taste of this delicacy!" Charlotte exclaimed. She immediately attacked the cheesecake with her fork, almost leaving none for Ren to enjoy.

"Whoah… She seems  _way_  more into sweets than Ann." Ren commented to himself, watching with his eyes wide open as Charlotte. Charlotte had completed the cheesecake in a blink of an eye, with not unable to help himself but be impressed by her ability to eat so fast.

"Deeeeelicious!" Charlotte cheered with her mouth still full, carelessly throwing her fork to the side as she let out an unashamed burp. She took a moment to lean back and relax, looking over to Ren with a look of admiration. "You know, my Trickster, I'm still surprised that you were willing to give me a chance. I promise to do my best so we can strengthen our bond together!"

"Yeah… of course." Ren replied. His focus still remaining on being friendly towards Charlotte, but keeping his boundaries in order to maintain his loyalty for his relationship with Ann.

Ren took a moment as he noticed that the Spirit Amulet Charlotte had taken and placed around her neck began to glow as its last stone flickered. He thought about what Kasumi had told him about the artifact and how it was currently powered up with the seven other attributes that focused on the foundations of a relationship.

Ren figured – if he could find a way to power up the last stone, would its powers be able to change Charlotte's heart?

There was only one way he could find out.

"So… w-what else do couples do together, other than indulge in eating?" Charlotte asked, looking over to Ren with a shy look. "This is all new to me, so I wouldn't know any good ideas if my life depended on it, heh."

"Hmm… let me think." Ren stated, taking a moment lean back on his chair as his eyes remained focused on the Spirit Amulet. What other ways could he show Charlotte the true attributes of a strong relationship? The only ideas that he could come up with were the things he had done with Ann.

Maybe… just maybe, that was the key to all this.

"Well, any ideas, my Trickster?" Charlotte asked, looking over to him with concern.

"The night is young, and you have your powers to travel anywhere at anytime, right?" Ren brought up. He stood up from his table as he stretched a hand for Charlotte to grab. "Why don't we go out and have some fun? Spend time and get to know one another more – that will for sure help us strengthen our bond."

"R-Really? A-Anything for you, my Trickster!" Charlotte exclaimed, kicking her chair back as she grabbed Ren's hand and almost dragged him out of the cafe balcony. "Oh my gosh! I'm super excited with what you have planned for us tonight!"

"G-Geez! You pull much harder than Ann does!" Ren blurted out as he struggled his arm in Charlotte's grip.

For the rest of the evening, Charlotte utilized her powers to teleport the two of them throughout the city and allowing them to indulge in many activities around Tokyo – such as joining a paint night, mini-golfing at Destinyland and riding within the swan boats at Inokashira Park.

Eventually, their hangout came to its close as the duo ended off the night with a leisurely stroll along Seaside Park's iconic Rainbow Bridge.

"Uhmm…. My Trickster… I must say, I've never been more happier now than I've been my entire lifespan," Charlotte confessed, remaining close to Ren's side as the duo walked on the sideway of Rainbow Bridge, overlooking the view of Tokyo along the side as the many buildings lit up in the distance.

"I gotta admit, I haven't done that many things in one night even with Ann." Ren commented, reflecting on the number of events they participated in. He looked over to Charlotte and noticed her in a deep train of thought as she suddenly remained quiet. Initially, Ren thought he had triggered Charlotte by mentioning Ann's name once again. Preparing for the worst, Ren cautiously called out to her. "Uh… Hey… Charlotte? Got something on your mind?"

To his surprise, Charlotte calmly sighed as she stopped in her tracks. Her head remained looking downwards as her back faced towards Ren.

"Trickster… Your bond with Ann Takamaki. It's… something you consider very special to you, right?"

Ren raised an eyebrow, wondering where Charlotte was taking their conversation to. He answered. "Of course… I mean, Ann and I have been through a lot together. It's natural that our bond has grown to become something more than just a regular friendship."

"I see… And all the things we had done together…. They were the same things you and Ann had done in your relationship, I presume." Charlotte said directly. "Even from the very beginning of this night, you had taken me to the cafe where you and Ann shared dessert together, right?"

Ren was surprised of Charlotte's intuition. Believing he had to be honest, Ren replied. "Yeah… I… figured that taking you to places where I've been with Ann would help you understand the bond I have with her. The activities I took you all hold a special moment that Ann and I had shared together."

Charlotte didn't answer. Instead, she walked over to the railing of Rainbow Bridge and leaned over to view the city landscape off in the distance. Ren remained where he was

"Spending time with someone helps you truly understand them better as a character, wouldn't you agree?" Charlotte asked, looking over to Ren as he nodded. She chuckled. "I understand that now – because all this time when I thought I was building a relationship with you, I was just setting myself up for even more failure."

"Charlotte… I'm sorry. But you need to understand that my heart will always be for one girl." Ren stated.

"I...I can't ever be that girl, hmm?" Charlotte asked.

Ren hesitated, but eventually took a stance as he simply shook his head.

Charlotte remained silent for a few more moments, before letting out her thoughts to Ren.

"You know, Trickster, my whole life since I've gained a consciousness within this year, I always saw you as my end goal. And that's because you were in the centre of my life – born to become my idol from the very beginning." Charlotte began to explain, maintaining her gaze out towards the city.

Ren didn't say anything – instead allowing Charlotte to continue letting her feelings out.

"As someone born out of the shadow attributes, all I ever understood were the negatives of these emotions brought about in life. That was the only way I knew how to react to events - with the tools of jealousy and anger." Charlotte noted. "Paired along with my devotion to you, I guess that's what caused my mind to be extremely obsessed and pursue courtship with you, Trickster."

Ren noted Charlotte's grip tightening on the railing bar, before she eventually relaxed and let go as she sighed in reflection.

"With the knowledge I obtained in the Spirit Palace – I grew fond of the memories you shared with Ann Takamaki. My soul yearned to just have a moment to feel the same way. To understand how happy she felt being in a special bond with someone." Charlotte further explained. "And coupled by the fact that I had absorbed Caroline's life force for my consciousness to fully awaken – the recollection of the twin's own feelings towards you exemplified mine."

Charlotte eventually turned towards Ren as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"But now I'm realizing that your heart will always be for Ann Takamaki. No matter where I go and what I do with you, I can't ever change your mind." Charlotte expressed as her hands clenched to her side as she accepted the proclamation of her own words.

"Charlotte… Again, I'm sorry." Ren could only manage to say. For a moment, fear took over as he expected Charlotte's mood to escalate to one of violence and outlash.

But her next few words surprised him.

"Trickster… It's okay." Charlotte said, causing a surprised reaction from Ren. She began to explain. "Like I said earlier, this night I spent was one of the most happiest things I've done in my life. And its helped me understand the joy Ann has shared with you."

The final stone at the centre of the Spirit Amulet continued to flicker as Charlotte began to realize this attribute herself – the most important attribute in a relationship – Love.

"Trickster… For me to take someone's happiness by tearing them apart from the one they love most, I realize that would be wrong of me." Charlotte expressed as she reflected on her newly discovered emotions. "This whole night, I'm really beginning to understand Ann Takamaki's love for you. I'd be a wretched soul if I took you away from her.

Charlotte's words resonated with Ren for a bit, realizing that her statement mirrored the ones of Morgana. Looking over to the Spirit Amulet and realizing how his kindness allowed Charlotte to open up her heart to the influence of the Spirit Attributes, it allowed her to empathize and understand the relationship Ren and Ann currently have.

"Charlotte, I may not know you on a personal level, but I must say this. The entire night we spent together – I did not feel threatened by you by any means whatsoever," Ren stated. "You acted just like any normal individual who yearns to express their emotions with others. Not once did I ever remind myself that you are a shadow born out of darkness. But someone who's gradually learning their true self and opening their heart to creating bonds."

Ren's word began to create a bigger impact within Charlotte's soul as a shift started in her mindset. She didn't want to feel angry or jealous anymore. Charlotte desired to create even more bonds with others and to reap the joys in relationships – this desire expanding greater than her dwindling obsession with Ren.

"Trickster… I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you and your friends. I realize that I was in the wrong." Charlotte apologized, covering her face with her hands in shame. "But… w-what can I do now? With no one else I can dedicate myself to – what else do I have left? I'm… I'm just alone now."

Ren felt the sorrow that Charlotte started to show. The poor soul had gone through such a drastic roller coaster of emotions so quickly in one night – from anger to begging, happiness and sadness. With his understanding of Charlotte's character even more now, Ren wanted to give her hope.

"Charlotte, your own personal journey reminds me of someone you know very well." Ren started to encourage.

"W-Who?" Charlotte asked, wiping another tear away.

"Morgana." Ren simply answered.

"H-Huh? Y-You mean the feline I've been fighting for the last few months?" Charlotte expressed in surprise." There's absolutely no way that I relate to him at all! We've been on opposing sides from the very beginning."

"Believe me, there's a lot more common ground between the both of you," Ren affirmed. "You've both gone through your very own trials of growth and accepting that there is a greater will than your very own - as well as understanding the two different sides of a relationship – you embodying the darker qualities while Morgana has embraced the light."

"I see… I didn't bother looking at it from that perspective," Charlotte commented, taking in Ren's words.

"Funnily enough, you each had fallen for both Ann and I. But I believe that there's a connection through all this that you and Morgana will eventually figure out." Ren said. "Charlotte, you have the capabilities of creating bonds like you've showcased tonight. With your previous experience, I'm sure you'll be able to create more bonds of your own, starting with Morgana."

"But… I've done so many wrongdoings against Morgana and his team. W-What if he doesn't accept me anymore?" Charlotte expressed her concern.

"Life offers second chances – even to the those fallen under the worst of circumstances." Ren gave his words of wisdom. "I had fallen in a rough spot in the year prior – but if it wasn't for Morgana to guide me into unlocking the power of my Persona abilities, I probably wouldn't have understood how personal relationships are meant to be treasured. The door Morgana opened up for me allowed my spirit to strive through the troubles I felt with being outcast by society. Eventually, I found the greatest group of friends that I could have ever asked for."

Ren went over to Charlotte and patted a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

"Keep your head up, Charlotte. There are better days for you ahead, I just know it." Ren stated with a comforting smile.

"Thank you, Trickster." Charlotte expressed, a smile slowing growing across her face as a new resolve overcame her spirit. "I feel like we finally see each other eye to eye."

Ren gave her a nod. With the short amount of time he spent with Charlotte, Ren already felt a strong connection with her. Looking over to the Spirit Amulet around her neck, Ren watched as the final stone fully lit up as the final attribute of Love unlocked.

Charlotte looked down, noticing the Spirit Amulet glowing as the spirit attributes eased into her soul and vanquishing any ulterior motives influenced by the prior shadow attributes that made up her character.

"You know, Trickster, there's one thing that I also learned when I've observed your relationship with Ann Takamaki over time." Charlotte began to express.

"What is it?" Ren asked.

"That above all else, genuine love is the most important aspect of any relationship you create. It embodies all attributes together – joy, service, loyalty, kindness, honesty, patience and common purpose." Charlotte explained, feeling this newfound wisdom overwhelm her soul. "You and Ann have displayed the strongest examples to each other throughout the year. No wonder you two seem inseparable – even when I had tried all my best to utilize the power of the shadow attributes against you."

"Hmm, it seems like you've already grown to be an expert in the foundation of building relationships already. You might be able to find someone out there for you after all." Ren amused the thought, much to Charlotte's embarrassment as she blushed.

"W-Whatever! Just don't get jealous if I find someone better than you, Trickster!" Charlotte barked at him

With a newfound understanding for each other, Ren and Charlotte eventually made it to the end of their stroll. The duo decided to head back into the Spirit Palace to reconvene with the other Phantom Thieves – unaware that trouble would soon brew.

* * *

 **\- The Spirit Palace -  
** **Master Bedroom**

At Morgana's request, Lavenza's spirit utilized her powers to bring back every prior teammate he worked with. The master bedroom was currently filled with all the Personas users that Morgana knew – ranging from the rest of the Phantom Thieves to the new Spirit Guardians that he had recently adventured with in the Spirit Palace.

"Hmm, it's been awhile since I've been with other Persona users – let alone this many in one room," Tatsuya Suou commented, overlooking the bedroom as he took count of everyone there. "Although, mark me surprised – I didn't expect Takamaki-san's friends to also be Persona users, let alone herself being one."

"What can we say, we're all full of surprise!" Futaba stated with pride.

"Remind me again how you're all connected to this, Tatusya-san?" Ken asked, coming up to him with Korumaru along his side. "I mean, Rise, Yukari, Korumaru and I have been in her palace prior, while the Phantom Thieves are her personal best friends. I'm just curious to how you've been connected to her spiritual bond."

"Right, you weren't here before when we fought against his shadow cognition," Yukari joined them as she began to explain to Ken - reminiscing of her first mission in the Spirit Palace. "Remember how whatever happens in the real world with Ann and Ren will reflect in this palace? Well, Tatsuya ended up getting caught in a bunch of drama between the couple, which ended up creating a shadow of him that we had to fight."

"I see… It must've been when I had accidentally kissed Ann," Tatsuya reflected on the experience back in the summer while they were filming their Featherman movie. "I always thought that something wasn't right with my actions, but a voice kept talking in my head, convincing that what I did was right."

"Hmph, so it must've been Charlotte's influence on you then," Ken concluded. "Did her powers really go all the way back in the summer? I thought that her shadow only became sentient around the fall season – when we had to fight against Sakamoto-san's cognition."

"Whoah what? I had a shadow of myself in this palace?" Ryuji hollered, hearing his name being mentioned by them.

"Remember when you suddenly had feelings for Ann? That was because of Charlotte taking over your mind and deceiving your emotions in order to try and break their relationship apart." Rise came up to remind him.

"Oh shit, right." Ryuji recalled. He began to grip his baseball bat in frustration. "My bond with Ren and Ann almost fell apart, and I almost got paralyzed by that accident. Man, I'm gonna make sure that Charlotte pays for what she's done to all of us!"

"I'm surprised that this sort of dimension still exists," Makoto commented, looking around the room as she was clad in her Queen outfit. "It reminds me so much of the other palaces in the Metaverse."

"Except we won't be stealing the treasure this time," Yusuke added, wearing his Fox outfit and equipped with his katana to the side. "Instead, we'll be protecting the treasure of Ren and Ann's relationship. How the tables have turned for us."

"I'm just glad I get to use my axe again!" Haru exclaimed, - fitted in her Noir outfit as she held her weapon in joy. "I've always missed chopping off the heads of shadows and hearing their wretched screams of pain – it was such a pleasant stress reliever at the time."

"Dang – I forgot how homicidal Haru is when she's in her Noir persona." Futaba yelped, slowly taking a few steps away from her in precaution.

"You know, I kind of knew that your group was something special," Ken spoke to Futaba and their group. "I figured that a close-knit circle like you guys had a special foundation – but I never would have assumed that it was due to your experience being Persona users – let alone being the actual Phantom Thieves I've heard about."

"Have you been in a Persona team before, Amada-san?" Makoto asked, interested in learning about the older group's powers.

"Yes we have!" Yukari exclaimed, running up to Ken and Korumaru's side. "We first worked together as a Persona team a couple years ago. Our group name was the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad - or S.E.E.S for short!"

"I've worked with Ken, Yukari and Korumaru before, but I had my own Persona team myself," Rise added. "I don't tell this to a lot of people – but back when I went to Inaba for my break, I made some very close friends and we'd call ourselves the Investigation team! Although, instead of infiltrating palaces, we'd explore a world within the TV."

"H-Huh? You're saying there's a world inside the television?" Futaba asked, interested in learning more about this newfound lore.

"Yeah! There was this fog that took over our town and a murderer that was on the loose. No worries though, my friends and I managed to solve the case a long time ago." Rise explained.

"Interesting - who would've known that there is a whole world beyond the Phantom Thieves regarding this Persona phenomenon." Yusuke commented, intrigued by the backgrounds of the S.E.E.S and Investigation team. "You guys must tell us about your stories – it would surely help our own team improve in our abilities if we were mentored by you.

"Yeah! Like how do you guys summon your Personas?" Ryuji asked, eager to learn more about the other team. "Do y'all have your own masks that you rip off your face?"

"Not exactly, see we have these items called Evokers that look like guns," Ken explained, pulling out his personal Evoker that he had kept for years. "We simply aim at our head, pull the trigger and our Persona is summoned."

"Oh my! So you practically shoot yourself in the head to use your powers?" Makoto answered in shock.

"Yep, it's not the friendliest way of pulling to do things." Yukari commented as she crossed her arms. "To be honest, I never was a fan the first time I had to use them."

"Damn, that's still a pretty edgy way to unlock your powers!" Ryuji "What about you, Risette? How did you team back in Inaba summon Personas?"

"Uhh…. We basically had to crush tarot cards in our hands." Rise replied, albeit a little embarrassed that her way of summoning wasn't as dramatic as the other Persona users.

"Huh.. Okay, that's cute." Futaba answered, unimpressed by Rise's means of summoning a Persona.

"Kind of reminds me of Yu-Gi-Oh, to be honest." Yusuke added. "Just by the cards itself – nothing more."

"Uhm… so do you think they're done conversing?" Kasumi whispered over to Morgana as they continued watching their friends bond over their Persona powers.

"Yeah, we should probably go on ahead with our mission right now," Ann reminded them. "Ren is still in danger. We need to figure out where he is as soon as possible!"

"Alright everyone! Listen up!" Morgana called out to them, immediately upholding his leadership role. The group looked over as they listened to Morgana's directive. "I know that we called you guys out of the blue, but I'm sure that Lavenza's spirit has already debriefed you of the severity of the situation at hand."

"Sorry, who is Lavenza again?" Haru asked, raising her hand up.

"She's the little girl in the blue dress and cute butterfly ornaments." Yusuke answered her.

" _ **I'm right here, Kitagawa-san."**_ Lavenza's spirit spoke, giving him an uneasy glare from the other side of the room.  _ **"May I state that I do not appreciate being referred to as a little girl. My entire life force extends beyond all of yours combined, so I politely ask you tread carefully with your words next time and rethink of your observation of me."**_

"Ooof! Little girl's got some big words!" Ryuji chuckled.

"Stop that! If she can teleport all of us at will, then I'm sure she's got some freaky powers that can completely obliterate us if she wanted to!" Futaba reminded him, smacking Ryuji's back to his annoyance.

"Listen, I'm truly glad to see all of you again, although I wish it was under different circumstances," Ann began to talk. "But to be honest, we're in kind of a rough spot right now. Long story short – Ren has been kidnapped by this spirit that's dedicated in destroying our relationship. They're willing to take any measures to ensure they succeed. I know I'm being a bit selfish to ask, but I'm hoping for you guys to help us find him. He could be hurt and all I want is for him to be safe."

"Geez – never thought that I'd hear  _this_ type of relationship drama," Tatsuya commented. He sighed as he took a moment to comprehend the situation at hand. "Well, I do have a lot of respect for Amamiya-san. And I do want you guys to prosper. I'll make sure that I can do whatever I can to help out."

"Same! Ever since I saw you and Ren sing and dance together at the summer festival in Tokyo, I've been a big fan of your relationship!" Rise commented. "You're too cute of a couple to be broken apart. I'll happily help out if it means that love will endure!"

"Besides, Ren is our friend too. We also care as much about his safety as you do, Ann." Makoto reassured her. "We've been through a lot together as friends and the Phantom Thieves. Hesitation on our part is not something you should not have to worry about."

"Yeah! And we're not going to let some selfish shadow tear you guys apart!" Ryuji exclaimed as he made practice swings in the air with his bat. "We've always got you back, Ann!"

"Thanks everyone. I really do appreciate all your support!" Ann said with gratitude. She looked over to each of her friends and mentors, feeling lucky to have a large group of people to support her and Ren. She turned over to Morgana and nodded to him. "Alright, leader. You've been around here much longer than any of us. We'll follow your commands."

"Sounds good." Morgana nodded back to Ann. "Alright team! Like Lady Ann said, we've got to find Ren and stop Charlotte. I'm warning you though, at the moment, Charlotte has the Spirit Amulet in possession. Who knows how much stronger she's become with the artifact in hand, paired up with her own Persona powers as well."

"Hmph, so we might have to face the very weapon that's been on our side since the start of this journey." Ken commented. "The irony is almost hilarious."

"I'll start laughing once we stop Charlotte and put an end to all this." Yukari replied.

"Woof! Woof!" Korumaru barked in agreement.

_**BOOM!** _

The whole bedroom suddenly shook violently from a mysterious force outside. Everyone struggled to maintain their balance as the furniture around them shook. The cabinets and shelves rattled in place while the various paintings that hung up on the wall slid off.

"Wh-What's going on!" Makoto stuttered.

"We'll figure it out!" Futaba said, turning over to Rise as they activated their Persona's navigational abilities to find out the source of the eruption. "It's coming from the palace's gardens! There's a huge spike of shadow energy originating there!"

"Could it be Charlotte?" Ann asked. "Maybe Ren might be there too."

"There's only one way to find out." Morgana answered. He turned over to the team and motioned them to the bedroom doors. "Alright, guess this is our moment. Let's go team!"

The entire group of Persona users made their way out of the master bedroom, beginning their trek towards the palace gardens. As they rushed through the hallways, they noticed the unusual absence of shadows in their way.

"Where are all the enemies? Wasn't this place crawling with shadows earlier?" Kasumi asked, noting the eerily quiet hallways they ran through.

"They all seem to be heading towards the palace gardens in large numbers." Rise brought up to the group, providing them updates with her navigation.

"Oh great… We're heading there right now too." Ryuji groaned, realizing the battle they would soon get themselves into.

"Keep your heads up guys! There could still be a surprise around the corner." Morgana told them.

Eventually, the group arrived outside in the expansive palace gardens without issue. Everyone was filled with immediate shock at the sight that greeted them – looming in the sky above the gardens was a giant, black cloud that constantly grew in size. On closer inspection, the cloud was made up of floating shadow particles made out of the other shadows previously in the palace as their energies were sucked in.

"What the  _hell_  is that!?" Ryuji shouted, staring up to the immense shadow in shock. The others didn't answer, caught up in the same bewildered state as him.

"Wait! Look! There's someone else in the gardens." Yukari got their attention, pointing to the centre of the gardens. Standing directly below the giant shadow were two figures. On closer inspection, the group immediately recognized the duo – Ren and Charlotte.

"Huh? Ren? REN!" Ann called out to him. She sprinted over to her boyfriend with the others following behind her. Ann practically jumped into Ren's arms as he turned around to greet them. "Ren! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad that you're safe."

"I'm fine, Ann. It's good to see you too." Ren said, giving her a calm, yet reassuring smile to his girlfriend. He looked over to the others, surprised to see everyone with her. "Did you really get a whole rescue party just for me?"

"W-Well, yeah! What else was I gonna do?" Ann answered in an annoyed tone, slapping her boyfriend on the arm. "I was worried that you were being tortured or something!"

"Glad to see that you're okay, Ren." Morgana came up to him.

"Wait… Morgana? Is that you?" Ren asked, taking a moment to inspect him. Last time Ren had seen him he was screaming his head off in the alley of Yonge-Jaya before the Spirit Amulet teleported them into the palace. Ren's instincts immediately noted the familiar aura the boy presented to him, yet it didn't change the fact how surprised he was that Morgana was now human. "But… how? When did you get this body?"

"Oh right… You didn't know he was Morgana in reality yet." Ann remembered. She took a moment to catch Ren up with everything since his absence. "We just found out that he's been in his human form ever since he went missing last month. Turns out he was in Tokyo the entire time doing his own thing for a bit."

"Sorry to have made you worry for a bit, Ren." Morgana apologized. "But I didn't have much choice, seeing as I woke up with amnesia the entire time. I totally would have reached out to you guys to let y'all know what happened."

"No worries – besides, it's not the first time you ran off from us." Ren joked, suddenly patting Morgana on the head. "Still, I'm just happy to see you're okay buddy."

"H-Hey! Don't pet me! I'm not a cat anymore!" Morgana groaned, gently swatting away Ren's hand as he fixed his hair. "I'm a real human being treat me like one!"

"Look Ren, I'm just as happy to see you're okay, but what's she doing with you?" Ryuji stated, pointing over to Charlotte as she cautiously stood to the side away from the others.

"Is she the one behind the giant shadow cloud forming above us?" Yusuke stated. He and the others already had their weapons at ready as they faced Charlotte.

"Wait! She's on our side now!" Ren explained. He went in front of Charlotte and protected her with an arm as he tried to convince the others from attacking. "She and I managed to talk and work things out. Just let her explain."

"Why should we believe her? She could be influencing your mind for all we know." Yukari asked, having her bow and arrow pointed at Charlotte.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time she's played her little mind tricks on us." Ryuji stated as he had both hands gripping tightly on his bat, ready to strike out a full course of payback at Charlotte.

Charlotte slowly went over to Ren and lowered his arm – giving him a nod to back down. "It's okay, Trickster. Let me talk to them first, then I will accept whatever fate they decide to put upon me."

"Charlotte..." Ren said. Hesitating for a moment, he eventually went off to the side as Charlotte approached the entire group without a hint of fear on her face.

"First of all, I want to apologize to for my previous wrongdoings I had done to all of you – especially to Takamaki-san," Charlotte began to speak out, looking over to Ann – noticing that she was the only Persona user who hadn't taken her weapon out against her. "I was selfish for utilizing my dark powers to harm you and put your bonds at risk. I was only looking out for myself as I pushed to get what I thought I wanted.

The rest of the group remained silent, listening to Charlotte's speech.

"It's true, the whole purpose of my disturbance in your reality was so I could have the Trickster all to myself," Charlotte continued to explain. "But after gaining a new perspective on the creation of relationships, as well as having the opportunity to self-reflect, I realize that I was doing more harm to myself than good. I now understand that holding onto the one desire thing that I couldn't grasp was not productive at all – and that I needed to let go."

Morgana felt Charlotte's words hit him the most, understanding her entire struggle that she currently faced. He related with Charlotte to his previous infatuation with Ann and how he needed to go on his own personal journey to find a different purpose, while gaining a better understanding of relationships himself.

It was by then Morgana noticed the Spirit Amulet around Charlotte's neck – and that all the stones were lit up, signifying the artifact was at its fullest potential in power.

"Hey wait, the amulet around your neck. How did you get all the stones to light up?" Morgana asked, inching closer to Charlotte as he further inspected it.

"Ohh, now that you mention it, I was able to power up the seventh stone when you were gone. Mona." Kasumi spoke up, joining alongside him. "The attribute was common purpose when Ren and Ann made a promise to remain together no matter what challenges lied in the future."

"Okay, that explains one, but what about the final stone?" Morgana asked. He raised an eyebrow to Charlotte. "Did… Did you happen to figure it out?"

"Y-Yes… I did, Mona." Charlotte expressed. She turned back over to Ren, who nodded back to her. "During my time with the Trickster, he showed me the positive attributes of relationships and how my ways were incorrect. That if you truly love someone – you must let them go and sacrifice your own happiness for their own."

Morgana froze for a moment – her words mimicking his own that he had told Ren and Ann previously. There was no doubt in his mind that Charlotte did have a change of heart – seeing as the Spirit Amulet and its energy had a positive effect on Charlotte.

"She's telling the truth," Morgana brought up, which led to him requesting the others to stand down from attacking.

"How do you know, dude?" Ryuji asked. "Charlotte could by lying, you know. There's no way a shadow that's been hell bent on destroying other people's relationships can suddenly have a change of heart."

"Did you forget the kind of people we fought last year as the Phantom Thieves, Ryuji?" Morgana brought up. "Besides, only someone who truly desires to understand relationships in a positive light can power-up the amulet. I should know since I used to wear that thing for the last year.

Morgana looked back to Charlotte, sensing a change in her own spirit as well. Her expression didn't show any signs of hostility towards them anymore. She now appeared to present empathy and hoped to find atonement for her actions.

"The amulet helped me see Ren and Ann's relationship in true light. There's no question that the spirit attributes had the same effect with Charlotte." Morgana added.

"… I believe her." Yukari said, lowering her bow and arrow down. "I can attest the powers of the Spirit Amulet too. I've been with Morgana near the beginning of his journey to discover those spirit attributes. Without that amulet, Morgana wouldn't have been the stronger person he is today."

The rest of the group took in their comments as they slowly backed down and set their weapons aside – much to Charlotte's surprise at the group's mercy.

"Ann… You haven't said anything at all yet. What's on your mind?" Morgana asked as he and Charlotte turned over to her.

Ann remained silent, processing everything that Charlotte had stated in her apology. Eventually, she walked over to Charlotte and stared at her for a few moments, attempting to figure out her reply.

"Charlotte, I'll be honest. You've terrorized the relationship Ren and I have had for quite awhile. You've made our friends turn on each other, threatened the relationships of our parents, and especially put Morgana through so much trouble from your actions." Ann laid down her thoughts without holding back.

"I… see where you're getting at, Takamaki-san." Charlotte replied, turning her head downwards in shame, unable to look at Ann without guilt coming into her mind. "You… have every right to feel angry at me."

Ann sighed, sensing the girl's regret. She followed up with an additional point. "But… hearing your testimony made me realize something myself. That through all the troubles Ren and I faced helped strengthen our relationship as well. And I couldn't have done that without your help."

"Huh?" Charlotte gave a surprised look. "Wh-What are you trying to say?"

"What I'm saying is – in any sort of relationship, there's always going to be positive and negatives." Ann explained. "Every strong relationship must be able to endure the worst of outcomes, otherwise there will be no efforts from either party for their desire to grow together. Balance is key and to experience those relationship lows is the only way we can come out on top."

"So… without my knowledge, I inadvertently helped you and Ren improve your bond the entire time?" Charlotte expressed, her mouth remaining wide open in awe.

"Heheh… you could say it like that." Ann giggled. "Life is funny that way. But to get back to our issue, I wouldn't be doing myself any good if I held on to any sort of animosity. I'm letting go and moving forward – just like how you and Morgana have learned to do so recently."

"Th-Thank you, Ann Takamaki. I.. I promise to do whatever I can to help make amends." Charlotte expressed with genuine gratefulness, bowing down to Ann.

"Did… did she really just forgive the one enemy who threatened her relationship  _that_ easily?" Rise whispered over to Yukari.

"What can I say, Takamaki-san's got a big heart for others." Yukari answered as she shrugged.

"Alright alright alright – so we all managed to kiss and make up, whatever." Ryuji groaned, deciding to accept this turn of events. He pointed his bat up towards the sky, redirecting everyone's attention to the shadow cloud still whirling in the sky. "So what the hell are we supposed to do with  _this_ thing?"

The shadow particles pooling around in the air continued to grow and grow in size, almost filling up the entire sky and shrouding the palace gardens in darkness.

" _ **I'm surprised that you had forgotten already, Mona-chan."**_ Lavenza's spirit echoed out as she appeared alongside the group. She pointed over to the Spirit Amulet around Charlotte's neck.  _ **"As with any of the Spirit Attributes you've unlocked prior – the final, most strongest attribute of Love is no exception. Realizing the powers of Love means that you've unleashed its opposing shadow attribute you face right now – the Embodiment of Hate."**_

"So, that's what we're facing right now, huh?" Morgana said, looking back up to the cloud of shadow particles floating over them. This new enemy embodied all the shadow attributes that Morgana and his Persona team had faced throughout their journey in the palace – attributes such as jealousy, deception and dishonesty – all of the negative energy faced against them as their final obstacle.

" _ **If your team does not defeat it, then the Embodiment of Hate will permanently ruin not only the bond that the Trickster and Lover hold – but cause chaos within reality as it impresses hate into everyone's hearts."**_ Lavenza's spirit warned them.

"We can't let that happen! A world filled with hate sounds terrible," Ann stated. She looked over to Ren as they both understood this issue went beyond their own relationship. "Babe, we need to stop this embodiment before it spreads! We can't let anyone else in our world succumb to so much negativity."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Ren answered. He immediately called upon his own Persona. Blue flames encircled around Ren as he yelled out, calling upon Arsene as he reappeared above him. His Joker outfit appeared around him – donning his black trench coat, red gloves and iconic mask. Ren turned over to the rest of the Phantom Thieves and nodded over to them. "Heh, it's good to be back."

"Yeeeees! Joker is back!" Futaba exclaimed.

"Whoah – so cool!" Kasumi commented, now seeing the Phantom Thieves all together, now that Ren was back with the group in full form.

"Well, this feels like the final battle to end all things!" Yukari yelled in excitement. She immediately called out Isis as she prepared for action. Yukari turned over to the rest of the Spirit Guardians. "Come on, guys! We've been through so much in this palace already. It's time for us to go out with a bang!"

"Got it!" Ken and Rise replied. The both summoned their respective Personas – Kala-Nemi and Kouzeon – onto the battlefield.

"Wooooof!" Korumaru barked out, calling upon Cerberus as he joined along his teammates for battle.

"I've been waiting a long time to do this again." Tatsuya commented. He felt an old flame rekindle in his spirit as he called out Apollo – fire began to erupt around Tatsuya as he prepared to go all out with his powers after a long hiatus.

"Time for the big finale!" Futaba exclaimed as she, Ryuji, Makoto, Yusuke and Haru called out their Personas. One by one – Prometheus, Seiten Taisei, Anat, Susano-o and Astarte appeared above them as the Phantom Thieves faced off against the Embodiment of Hate above.

"I've been so grateful to have bonded with all of you. Now is time to protect what we've fought for!" Kasumi said with ferocity, summoning Cendrillon out as she took out her rapier for battle.

"You ready, Ann?" Ren asked calmly as he adjusted his gloves whilst facing up to the enemy above.

"When it comes to defending our relationship, I'm always ready." Ann answered. Taking out her whip, Ann called upon Hectate's powers as she prepared to battle for not only her love – but the bonds for others in reality.

"Hey, you wanna fix everything you've done, right?" Morgana asked Charlotte.

"Of course I do." Charlotte replied without hesitation.

"Then help us get rid of this embodiment of hate. Help us defend the idea of creating new bonds and the relationships " Morgana stated.

"Consider it done." Charlotte nodded back. Facing over to the Embodiment above, Charlotte took a deep breath as she reflected on her entire journey up to this point. Calling out to her Persona – Seiryu appeared above her as her water powers were strengthened with new purpose given by the acceptance of her comrades around her.

"You don't hold me under your control anymore." Charlotte whispered, facing up to the Embodiment as she denounced its shadow attribute powers over her. "I have something greater to fight for now."

Morgana took a moment to look back at his team, recounting everything that he had accomplished with them up to this point. Within the span of nine months, Morgana had taken his bonds to new levels, adventured throughout a palace as leader of a new team, accepted the love between Ren and Ann, and most of all, gained his own understanding of creating strong relationships with others.

Now, it was time to defend everything that he had fought for.

"Alright! Let's finish this!" Morgana commanded, calling out Mercurius as the others around him lined up to face the Embodiment of Hate.

The final battle was about to unfold...

.

..

…

_**To be continued!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	30. The Embodiment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The final battle continues as Morgana and his team face off against the Embodiment of Hate."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi there, fellow reader! Just want to welcome you to the penultimate chapter of this story - and technically, the last chapter for this year! I can't believe this story has gotten this far with this much support. But for now, I'll save all my sentiments for the final update next chapter!
> 
> So without further ado - let's get on with the final battle!

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Episode 30: THE EMBODIMENT**

* * *

**\- The Spirit Palace -  
** **Gardens**

A long battle ensued within the palace's gardens. Attacks of different elements flew left and right as the heroes fought against the chaotic mess of shadow particles thrown at them by the Embodiment of Hate. The group constantly had to take cover behind the palace garden's statues and greenery as the massive shadow threw swarms of black particles at them that struck with deadly force.

"Look out, Yukari!" Ken shouted, watching from a distance as another barrage of shadow particles were thrown in her direction.

"Gaaah! Not this time!" Yukari stated, quickly turning around as she utilized Isis' wind abilities to shoot at striking arrow through the black particles as they dissipated upon contact.

"Yukari! Behind you!" Rise yelled, forewarning her of another attack.

"Huh? Wha-AGGGH!" Yukari screamed as she was suddenly hit in the back by another swarm of shadow particles – these ones taking shape of a humongous hammer as it swung in her direction and hit her with full force – launching her body into the air.

"I've got you!" Haru shouted, jumping out from cover as she called out Astarte, using its Psychokinesis powers to catch Yukari mid-air and gently lowered her back into the ground. Haru immediately rushed up to her side. "Takeba-san! Are you alright? That was a huge blow you took back there."

"Ugh… I'll manage." Yukari groaned. She knelt on the ground as she rubbed her back, feeling immense pain rush downwards. "Grrrgh… I don't know if I can move much."

"Don't worry, I'll stay by your side until you recover." Haru assured her.

Suddenly, a large swarm of shadow particles dropped around Haru and Yukari. The particles slowly shifted into multiple forms of a shadow beasts – each one appearing to walk on all fours, with the entirety of their heads being made up of a huge mouth with sharp teeth and a tail with a pointed edge for stabbing its prey. The beasts circled around Yukari and Haru as they growled ferociously at them, ready to pounce.

"What the heck! Since when could the shadow spawn creatures like that!?" Yukari yelped, eyes widened in shock.

"I'll keep 'em at bay!" Haru assured her. Focusing with her Persona's powers, Haru waved her axe around in the air and slammed it down, causing a  _Mapsiodyne_  wave to emit from the blade. The psychokinesis wave hit each shadow beast as they roared in pain while being thrown back, disappearing in the air as they succumbed to the damage.

"Haru! You're amazing!" Yukari complimented. She looked over to Haru, noticing that she was breathing heavily and her shoulders slumped down. "Hey! You okay? That attack looked like it used a lot of your energy."

"I'll… be fine. Just feeling a bit exhausted." Haru tried to reassure Yukari. In reality, Haru's stamina was gradually wearing as the battle continued on.

Without warning, a shadow beast spawned from behind and jumped right onto Haru, causing her to drop her axe. Haru screamed as she struggled on the ground, attempting to keep the shadow beast from munching on her with its vicious jaws.

"Shoot! Haru!" Yukari yelled, watching in horror as her comrade was being attacked. In response, Yukari scrambled to take out her bow and arrow. Aiming her weapon, Yukari shot an arrow of wind towards the shadow beast, piercing it through its head as it barely missed Haru's. The shadow beast disappeared – leaving both girls catching their breaths.

"Th-Thank you, Takeba-san." Haru gasped, taking a moment to lie down on the grass as she recovered from her near death experience. She looked up to the Embodiment remaining in the air above them as it continued to grow. "How long… do we have to battle this monstrosity…?"

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Makoto and Kasumi were fending off another wave of shadow beasts together. The two took a more physical and up-close approach with their enemies – with Makoto utilizing her aikido abilities mixed in with her Personas Nuclear powers as she punched and kicked the shadow beasts away. On the other hand, Kasumi slashed away at the beasts with her rapier whilst dodging with fluidity using her gymnastics abilities.

"Kasumi! I've got another one for you!" Makoto yelled over to her partner. She had managed to grab another shadow beast by its tail as it struggled to escape her grasp. Makoto managed to spin around and throw the beast in the air towards Kasumi's direction.

Kasumi looked over and noted where the beast was thrown. Utilizing her gymnastic abilities, Kasumi gained momentum as she jumped backwards, connecting it with multiple back hand springs as she soared into the sky and sliced the shadow beast in half – its body disappearing in a cloud of particles from contact by Kasumi's rapier. Landing perfectly on the ground, Kasumi nodded over to Makoto with a thumbs-up. "Heheh! Beautiful execution, Niijima-san!"

"Bark! Bark!" Korumaru's pleas of help were heard from the other side of the garden. Makoto and Kasumi looked over to see their comrade surrounded by multiple shadow beasts, trying their best to keep the enemy at bay with his Cerberus' fire abilities.

"Hold on, Korumaru! We're coming to help!" Kasumi called over to him. She and Makoto ran towards Korumaru's directions, parkouring across the garden as they fought their way through multiple shadows that interfered in their trek.

Out of nowhere, a humongous wave of shadow particles fell from the sky, knocking Makoto and Kasumi backwards by force as it crashed through the garden's statues and shrubbery. A large crack was left on the ground as the shadow particles began to form into a much larger beast, taking form of a gigantic monkey-esque shadow.

"Huh? A g-gorilla?" Kasumi yelped, staring back at the newly formed shadow in front of them. She quickly got up and kicked her rapier into the air, catching it as she immediately conjured up a powerful Bless skill – shooting a beam of  _Makougaon_  with Cendrillon and directly hitting the gigantic shadow ape in its stomach.

The shadow roared loudly as it took damage from Kasumi's attack. Managing to maintain its ground, the shadow raised both its arms up and slammed them into the ground, crushing the ground around them and creating a shock wave that shot directly towards Kasumi – knocking her backwards into the air as she screamed.

"Kasumi!" Makoto yelled out to her partner – relieved that she managed to land safely in a large patch of shrubbery that softened her fall. Makoto sighed in relief, right before calling out Anat to utilize her Nuclear powers. "Grrr! How dare you hurt my partner like that!"

Makoto felt a surge of power course throughout her body as she called out Anat's powers once more. She rushed up towards the shadow ape and yelled with ferocity, pulling her fist back before lunging it forward directly into the shadow's body. Upon contact, a huge energy of  _Mafreidyne_ shot out from Makoto's fist, knocking the shadow backwards with immense power. The shadow roared in pain as it flew past Ryuji and Yusuke, before disappearing into thin air from the damage it succumbed to.

"H-Holy shit! Did that just come out from Makoto?" Ryuji paused, staring back in Makoto's direction as he watched her help Kasumi up.

"Keep your focus up, Skull!" Yusuke reminded him. At the moment, the two of them stood back to back as a shroud of shadow particles began to circle around them. Yusuke kept a hand on his katana at ready, while Ryuji held his bat up in the air, keeping an eye on the shadow particles in case it lunged towards them.

"Grrrrgh! These shadows particles are too unpredictable! First they were just flying around in the air for us to hack away at - now they start taking physical forms! It's getting really annoying!" Ryuji yelled in frustration. "How the hell are we supposed to stop this mess?"

"Its as if this cloud of darkness is continuously replicating its mass." Yusuke gave his observations. He and Ryuji looked upwards into the sky as the Embodiment of Hate continued looming above them in the gardens – its chaotic shape spiralling in the air as more and more black particles shot out and aimed towards the heroes below. "There must be a source of power somewhere. But where could it be?"

Suddenly, the shadow particles circling around them duo closed in. Expecting the attack, both Ryuji and Yusuke swiftly swung out their weapons – slicing and whacking away the particles as they constantly flew towards them.

"GAAH!" Yusuke yelled out, being knocked downwards from a stream of shadow particles that hit him from the back. He ended up dropping his katana as the shadow particles enveloped him and began to choke him out.

"Yusukeeeee!" Ryuji screamed out. Before he could react, Ryuji felt his leg being pulled as the shadow particles formed into a tentacle and began to drag him on the ground away from Yusuke. Ryuji attempted to whack the shadow particles away with his bat – to no success.

"I've got you!" Ken yelled. Coming from the other side of the garden, Ken pulled out his spear as he called upon Kala-Nemi's powers. His spear was soon covered in electricity as Ken threw it towards the tentacle grasping Ryuji – stabbing through the shadow particles and releasing him from its hold. Ken rushed over to Ryuji's side as he helped him up.

"Damn, nice shot! I owe you one." Ryuji thanked Ken. The boys turned over to Yusuke, realizing that the shadow particles had formed into a giant serpent creature as it wrapped around Yusuke's body. "Shit! Since when did it turn into  _that_ horrible thing?"

"The enemy is getting smarter and learning new ways to battle against us." Ken commented. He looked back into the sky, witnessing the Embodiment of Hate continuing to send out shadow particles into the gardens below. "This shadow appears to have no restrictions in its powers whatsoever. I don't know how we'll beat it."

"Why you gotta be so negative! Come on, we've gotta help Yusuke!" Ryuji argued as he grabbed his bat from the ground. As he rushed his way over to Yusuke's aid, the shadow serpent noticed Ryuji and quickly swatted him away with its extensive tail. Ryuji fell back and groaned, before quickly getting back up. "Damn it! I can't get any closer!"

"I'll help out!" Futaba's voice emitted from above. She was currently within Prometheus as it hovered down to Ryuji and Ken's side. Futaba scrambled her fingers around Prometheus' control console as she provided the boys power-ups. "I've got the buffs all set up! Now's your time to strike!"

"Let's give 'em a shocking surprise, Sakamoto-san!" Ken exclaimed, pulling out his spear from the ground.

"Couldn't have said it any better myself!" Ryuji nodded back.

Calling out their respective Personas, both Ryuji and Ken aimed their weapons towards the shadow serpant as it continued holding Yusuke hostage. With the additional buffs granted to them by Futaba, Ryuji and Ken's electric powers skyrocketed to higher levels. Each of their eyes sparked with electricity as a loud thunderous sound came from the clouds. Whipping down their weapons towards the shadow serpent, a large bolt of lightning struck down, electrocuting the shadow creature as it hissed in pain – eventually disappearing as it let go of Yusuke.

"Dude! You okay?" Ryuji called out to Yusuke. He and Ken rushed up to his side – only to be shocked to find him lying unconscious on the ground. "Huh? Nooo! Yusukeeeee!"

"Wait, lemme check on him," Ken said, kneeling down to feel Yusuke for a pulse. He nodded over to Ryuji. "Don't worry, it looks like he just passed out. He was stuck in that serpent's grasp for quite awhile."

"Here! I'll get him to safety!" Rise assured them. She ran up to the boys as she summoned Kouzeon – utilizing her abilities to create a forcefield to protect and carry Yusuke out from harm's way.

"Risette! Any idea if we're making any progress?" Ken asked, referring to their efforts against the Embodiment of Hate.

"I… I don't know yet. Every time we seem to make a dent, the shadow just keeps on multiplying its powers." Rise responded. "Futaba and I are still analyzing the shadow looming above. All I can really say is just to keep fighting!"

"Dang… we're getting no where." Ken gripped his spear in frustration. No matter how much they fought, the Embodiment of Hate appeared to remain unfazed by their attacks as it spawned out more and more shadow particles against them.

"We can't give up! Not yet, anyway!" Ryuji exclaimed, noticing that Ken's spirit was slowly diminishing. He pumped a fist into the air as he nodded over to Ken. "Come on, dude! Shiho wouldn't want you to throw in the towel anytime soon! Where's that athletic spirit in you, man?"

"Yeah! You're right!" Ken nodded, his spirit immediately reignited by Ryuji's encouragement. The duo rushed back onto the battlefield to fight against more shadows.

On the other side of the gardens, Korumaru continued fending for himself as he was cornered by a large group of shadow beasts. Using Cerberus' fire abilities, Korumaru did his best to keep the shadow beasts away – creating a tornado of fire around his body for protection. At the touch of the flame, the shadow beasts would burn away within the snap of a finger. Regardless, Korumaru began to show signs of weariness as he continuously consumed energy for his attacks.

"You're not alone, buddy!" Tatsuya reassured, coming to Korumaru's aid as he blasted away a large portion of the shadow beasts with Apollo's flaming abilities. Jumping over the remainder of the shadow beasts, Tatsuya came over to Korumaru's side, quickly giving the dog a pat on the head for motivation. "Who's doing good! You are! Yes you are!"

Korumaru simply gave Tatsuya an unamused look - before utilizing Cerberus'  _Maragidyne_ skill to burn out another wave of shadow beasts that were about to sneak up behind them.

"Right, maybe that kind of talk doesn't work on you. No biggie." Tatsuya replied, cringing at his own mannerisms.

"Tatsuya! Korumaru! I need a little more fire power here!" Ann called over to them. At the moment, she was taking cover from behind a broken piece of the garden's wall. Looming over her appeared to be another form that the shadow particles took – this time, taking from of a shadow dragon as it blew out dark purple flames in her direction.

"Hmph, there just seems to be more surprises coming our way, huh?" Tatsuya commented. He and Korumaru rushed over to Ann's side, sliding behind the cover she was currently using. "So, got any plans for the hot-head over there?"

"Yup! We're gonna fight fire with fire!" Ann replied.

"How so? Our fire abilities won't do anything to an enemy that's mainly fire-based." Tatsuya reminded her.

"Don't worry, we've got a secret weapon working on it!" Ann reassured.

Peering over from behind cover, Ann, Tatsuya and Korumaru watched as Ren made his way over to the shadow dragon. He whistled in order to get the shadow's attention. As the shadow dragon turned around and shot a blast of fire back, Ren utilized Arsene's abilities to grant him additional speed. Summoning an unknown spell, Ren's knife was suddenly shrouded with a red aura. With Ren's enhanced abilities - given to him by Arsene - it allowed him to jump high into the air and slice through the shadow dragon using his enchanted knife. The shadow dragon roared in pain as its fire resistance disappeared. Ren landed below as he shouted for the next move.

"Go for it, Ann!" Ren called out to her.

"Let's go boys!" Ann directed Tatsuya and Korumaru. The trio jumped out from cover as they summoned their Personas. Hectate, Apollo and Cerberus floated above the trio as they began to power-up their fire abilities. On Ann's command, the trio shot out a powerful flame towards the shadow dragon – its damage tripled with their combined efforts. The shadow dragon was scorched as its entire body smoked in the air – eventually crashing into the garden below before disappearing.

"Alright! Nice one guys!" Ann congratulated, giving Tatsuya a high-five.

"Gotta give your boyfriend props, he was a complete badass for giving us that advantage." Tatsuya commented.

"Bark! Bark!" Korumaru agreed.

"Good teamwork, everyone." Ren came over to quickly congratulate them. He looked up to the sky, gritting his teeth at the sight of the chaotic shadow still looming above the palace. "Damn – it doesn't look like the Embodiment is giving up anytime soon."

"What are we going to do, Ren? We've been at this for so long," Ann asked. She looked throughout the gardens, seeing her friends pulling out their best efforts as they continued fighting against the swarm of shadow particles brought to them. She could easily tell that they were tiring, and noted that some of them were even off on the side recovering. "We seriously need a game changer right now. Our friends can't keep on fighting forever!"

"I'm still working on it." Ren replied. In reality, he had no idea on how to finish off the Embodiment of Hate. This shadow just kept on spewing out more and more enemies for them to battle without an end in sight.

Ren could only wonder - would they be able to defeat this chaotic mess, or eventually succumb to the Embodiment's plague?

Near the centre of the garden Morgana and Charlotte fought against a bulk of the shadow enemies, taking refuge around the fountain. Morgana utilized Mercurius' powers as he made a perimeter around them with a shield of wind that would knock the shadows away. At the same time, Charlotte called up Seiryu's aquatic abilities, washing away the shadow beasts with huge waves of water at them.

"If you haven't noticed, we're not getting anywhere with this!" Morgana called out to Charlotte, taking out another wave of shadow beasts with a gust of  _Magarudyne._ "These shadows just keep coming at us!"

"I know!" Charlotte responded, taking out another group of shadows with a powerful blast of water. "I cannot fathom how much longer we can keep fighting, Morgana. Its as if the Embodiment above is toying with us."

"Is there anyway to stop it?" Morgana asked, only for Charlotte to give an uncertain look. These new enemy had come out of nowhere – and with proper knowledge of its motives or origin of power, Morgana and his team were lost on what to do. Attacking the shadow particles seemed to make no progress, as the Embodiment was able to spawn more at disposal.

They needed to find the enemy's weakness somehow.

"Huh? What's Futaba doing?" Ryuji suddenly yelled. He and Ken had joined with Ren, Ann, Tatsuya and Korumaru as they continued battling. For a moment, the group looked up and watched as Prometheus began to pilot itself directly into the giant mass of shadow particles in the sky.

"Is she really that crazy to fight the Embodiment herself?" Ann shouted.

"She's not going to survive long enough," Ren spoke in fear. He cupped his mouth and shouted, attempting to get Futaba's attention. "Futaba! You don't know what you're getting yourself into!"

Receiving no response from Futaba, the group continued to watch as part of Prometheus entered the mass of shadow particles – basically entering into the Embodiment's domain. In retaliation, the Embodiment spawned out shadow particles that formed into tentacles as they wrapped around Prometheus in attempts to stop it.

"Futaba! What is she doing?" Haru yelled in shock. She and the others continued to watch in shock as Prometheus began to take damage by the shadow tentacles that violently struck against it.

Out of nowhere, one of Prometheus' compartments opened up as a large missile loaded out and aimed directly into the mass of the Embodiment. With a press of a button, Futaba fired away directly at the Embodiment. The missile launched into the air at breakneck speed, immediately colliding into the Embodiment and causing chaotic damage

Unfortunately, Futaba was caught in the deadly explosion due to Prometheus being entangled in the Embodiment's tentacles. Her Persona immediately dissipated from the shockwave, causing Futaba to sustain immense damage herself. Her body helplessly plunged back into the gardens below – no motion or sound coming from her throughout the fall.

"NO! FUTABAA!" Kasumi yelled, catching a glimpse of her falling friend.

"I've got her!" Charlotte responded, quickly utilizing Seiryu's water-based abilities to shoot out a column of water towards Futaba's body – which safely landed within the floating body of water. Charlotte slowly directed the body of water into the palace's fountain and gently released Futaba's body inside it.

"No! Futaba!" Ren yelled as he and the others rushed over to her side. Jumping into the fountain where her body was, Ren crouched down and brought Futaba into his arms as he attempted to awaken her. "Come on, Futaba! Stay with us."

"Grrrrrrgh…." Futaba could only moan and cough. Her body had taken severe damage from the explosion as it was battered with smoke and parts of her skin and suit singed. Blood began to drip out from her mouth as tears began to build up in her eyes from the pain she was enduring.

Futaba could only gave her friends a weak stare as she she slowly lost consciousness.

"Noo…. Futaba, why would you do that?" Kasumi sobbed out as she knelt beside Ren, grabbing to Futaba's hand as she looked over to her fallen friend. "I-Is she..."

"Don't worry, she's still alive," Tatsuya assured them, kneeling down to check on Futaba's pulse. "I'll see what I can do to help heal her wounds – but it may take awhile. She appears to have succumbed to a lot of damage from the very missile she created."

"Hey guys! You might wanna check this out!" Ryuji spoke up, pointing into the sky.

Above them, the Embodiment appeared to have taken damage from Prometheus' missile – exposing its mass interior. Revealed inside the Embodiment's centre was a glowing crystallized pink heart. Parts of the heart sprouted out with black veins that connected to the shadow particles spiralling around its mass.

"What is that thing up there?" Morgana asked.

"It's the life force of the Embodiment," Charlotte managed to figure out. "Regardless of the Embodiment being born out of shadow attributes, it still requires a life force to drive its purpose. Within that heart is all the energy of the shadow attributes lying within."

"So basically – that is the Embodiment's weak point?" Ren guessed.

"Yes… If we want to win this battle, we need to destroy its heart." Charlotte concluded.

"I see… So Futaba managed to figure it out and decided to expose the Embodiment's weakness herself – without even telling us?" Ann added, looking back down to Futaba as the girl struggled to hang on to dear life in Ren's arms. "Why… why wouldn't she tell us anything?"

"She did it to protect us. To give us one last fighting chance." Morgana assumed, his fists clenching tightly to his sides. "We can't let this opportunity go to waste. We need to end this now!"

"So how the hell are we gonna get up there then?" Ryuji questioned. "The shadow particles are already chaotic enough down here in the gardens. We'll pretty much get teared apart if any one of us tries to come any closer to its core."

The group looked around to each other – hoping that one of them had a solution.

"It has to be me," Charlotte suddenly spoke up, much to everyone's surprise.

"Huh? W-Why?" Morgana turned to her with uncertainty.

Charlotte's face appeared to be one of acceptance to this eventual fate. She turned over to the others and did her best to present a look of reassurance. "Part of my soul consists of the seven other shadow attributes – akin to the Embodiment itself. If I go up there, I'll have a window of time to deal enough damage before it figures out who I really am while inside it."

"So, you're going to camouflage yourself with your shadow energy whilst inside the Embodiment's core?" Ren concluded. He took a moment to consider Charlotte's plan and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like it could work."

"But that sounds like a one way trip for Charlotte." Ryuji brought up.

"Charlotte! You can't do that. How will you come back then?" Ann argued.

"Heheh, I appreciate your concern, Takamaki-san. But right now, there's no other way for us to win, and we're running out of time." Charlotte reminded her. She looked over to Futaba's worn out body and shook her head. "Too many of our comrades have been hurt throughout this on-going battle. If we don't stop the Embodiment now, then more people are going to get hurt."

"No! W-We've got to figure out another way!" Morgana demanded, unable to accept Charlotte's solution. "Do you realize how you're sounding like right now? This would be a complete suicide mission on your end!"

"Morgana… Please, let me have this chance to rid of my wrongdoings," Charlotte spoke in a comforting tone. Initially, she hesitated to approach Morgana. But understanding the short amount of time she had left to live, she eventually figured out her feelings and what to say to her partners.

Charlotte eventually approached the worried Morgana and gently caressed his check, staring directly into his gaze.

Her yellow gaze that usually pierced into the soul – now brought a soothing comfort for Morgana.

"You and I, we've both been blessed with a chance to bond with such compassionate people," Charlotte began to express, taking a moment to look over to the others. "But I've still done so many terrible things to you all. See this as a way for me to repent for my actions."

"But this isn't fair to you though! You were never given a chance to live out a full life!" Morgana argued back. "This entire time, you've been bound by all this darkness, fueled by hatred. And now that you've been given a chance to turn around and see the light, you have to sacrifice yourself? That's not right at all!"

"I wouldn't have come to this conclusion if it weren't by your selfless example, Morgana." Charlotte continued to explain, remaining in her calm state. "Throughout my time of knowing you as we fought one another within this palace – you've displayed a great act of sacrifice for your friends. You did it out of love for them."

Charlotte paused for a moment to look down to the Spirit Amulet around her neck – its eight stones continued to glow in harmony.

"And now that I understand this emotion of love for others – I am compelled to bring out one more act to showcase what I've learned." Charlotte smiled. For a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, a single tear suddenly rolling down her cheek as she felt overwhelmed by this new feeling. "Please understand. This feels like the right decision for me to sacrifice myself. So all of you can continue strengthening your bonds."

Suddenly, Charlotte slowly took the Spirit Amulet off her neck and placed it around Morgana's – who remained speechless after hearing Charlotte's reasoning.

"I believe this belongs to you, Morgana. After everything you've done up to this point - you are the amulet's rightful owner after all." Charlotte spoke, giving him one final smile.

"Charlotte… You've changed so much within these past few days," Morgana finally spoke up. "It's just so surreal right now. Just what made you have this complete turnaround?"

"Let's just say, my heart has finally opened up a new desire." Charlotte replied. She took a moment to stare downwards, her face suddenly blushing as her heart began to skip a beat. "You may not know it Morgana, but you've impacted my spirit in so many ways that even I didn't realize until now."

Charlotte took one last glance at the Spirit Amulet now around Morgana's neck – a symbol of the battles and trials they both shared together – albeit, the majority of the time they had been pitted against each other. Their adventures shared within the last nine months helped them both grow to become the individuals they were at this very moment.

A guardian who fought to protect the bond of two people he cared very much for.

And a shadow, hell bent on destruction, now learning the attributes of what makes a true relationship prosper.

"Morgana, I wouldn't have understood my feelings if it wasn't for your dedication – you've helped both of us realize the treasure of sacrificial love between two people." Charlotte expressed. "I am truly grateful of all the battles you've overcome… That... is what I love about you."

To Morgana's surprise – Charlotte closed the gap between them and laid a soft kiss upon his lips. All Morgana could do was strike open his eyes in surprise. He remained standing there as he took in Charlotte's gesture – unsure of what to do.

"W-W-W-Whaaaaaaat!?" Ryuji stammered in complete shock, almost falling over at the surprising sight.

"The hell is going on?" Tatsuya raised his eyebrow.

Ren and Ann simply looked at each other – being the only ones to really understand the underlying bond that Morgana and Charlotte had made throughout their adventures in the Spirit Palace.

Eventually, Charlotte released her kiss upon Morgana. The boy simply stared back in awe as he took a moment to process what happened.

"Ch-Charlotte..." Morgana stuttered, remaining in a fazed state. He hadn't notice that his own face had turned red as blood rushed up to his cheeks – as if Charlotte's kiss had suddenly unlocked a new desire within his own spirit.

"Goodbye, Morgana." Charlotte nodded over to him as she took a few steps back. "Thank you... for everything."

In a swift motion, Charlotte summoned her Persona for the final time – jumping on top of Seiryu as she flew towards the Embodiment.

"Noo! Wait! Charlotte!" Morgana yelled out to her. He reached out as he continued calling out to her – only to watch helplessly as Charlotte flew towards her demise.

Morgana - along with everyone else in the gardens, witnessed Charlotte making her way into the storm of shadow particles and reaching the core of the Embodiment. As she flew directly towards the crystallized heart – Charlotte prepared a final almighty attack with Seiryu's powers, conjuring up every last ounce of energy as she prepared to finish off the enemy.

In defense, the Embodiment's shadow particles began to close around Charlotte and the crystallized heart, preventing the group in the gardens from seeing her final moments.

After a few seconds, the Embodiment's entire shadow form began to shake violently within the sky, reacting to the action happening within its interior. Shadow particles began to fly around chaotically as beams of blue light shot out from various parts of its form, which ended up destroying sections of the palace's garden and causing more ruin throughout the entire area.

"Everyone! Watch out!" Ren shouted. He quickly carried Futaba's body as the group began to flee from the garden for safety.

"Cendrillon! Protect us!" Kasumi commanded. Using her Persona's entire energy, Kasumi managed to create a forcefield of light around her friends as the Embodiment's reaction continued to cause mayhem around the garden.

Suddenly, the Embodiment's entire mass of shadow particles began to implode towards its central life core. In the blink of an eye, the Embodiment exploded in a fiery blaze of shadow particles, lighting up the sky above the palace gardens. The shockwave of the explosion caused parts of the palace's walls and pillars to fall into the garden.

Fortunately, the group remained under the safety of Cendrillon's forcefield. After enduring the heavy shockwave emitted from the Embodiment exploding, the group looked up in the sky, witnessing a surprising sight.

"What the… what's that falling down?" Ryuji commented.

Within the shadow particle explosion, glimmers of light blue sparkles covered the sky around, eliminating the particles and ceasing their destruction. The group kept their gaze up into the sky as they watched the blue glimmers gently float down around the garden – similar to a quiet rain fall.

"This blue light. What is it?" Haru asked, holding her hand out to try and catch the shimmering sparkles.

"It's Charlotte's life force… at least, what's left of it." Morgana explained with a defeated tone. He felt the presence of Charlotte's spirit floating around them as the blue sparkles continued raining down around them. Morgana sighed as he kneeled on the ground. His spirit remaining in pain at the comprehension of Charlotte's sacrifice. It took Morgana several moments for his mind to allow reality to sink in.

The final shadow attribute of Hatred, now destroyed – meaning that the Spirit Amulet had no forces to reckon against it. Meaning that their adventure was now over.

A victory that Morgana thought he would be celebrating – but this moment was only filled with heartbreak at the loss of a newfound life mere moments ago.

A bond that Morgana had realized was ever so important to him.

A bond that Morgana realized he had taken for granted.

* * *

**\- The Spirit Palace -  
** **Room of Attribution**

The group took refuge in the Spirit Palace's safe room – standing atop the altar in the middle of the fountain room. Taking a moment to rest, the Persona users reflected on the battle earlier as they figured out their next course of action.

"So, you think you'll be okay?" Tatsuya asked Futaba, having combined his Persona's healing abilities with Makoto and Rise's to replenish her energy and restore her body to normal condition.

"Yeah… I should be good. Thank you everyone." Futaba replied with gratitude. At the moment, she reverted out of her Oracle outfit, seeing as they were not in battle mode anymore. He turned over to Morgana, watching as he sulked at the centre of the altar. "So… Charlotte gave her life to save us?"

"Mhmm… It was the only way to stop the Embodiment from causing any more harm in the palace and reality." Ken answered. He sat along with Korumaru resting his head atop the boy's lap. Ken continued patting the dog's head as it slept in order to recover from the battle in the gardens.

"A being created out of the shadows, willing to sacrifice their own life for the greater good – a poetic ending, in my book." Yusuke commented. He had reverted out of his Fox outfit in order to rest up and heal after being knocked out from battle.

"Morgana, will you be alright?" Yukari asked, walking up to him as she set a hand on his shoulder. She could easily tell that Charlotte's sacrifice bothered him the most. "Listen… Ken and I know what it's like to lose someone you've grown a strong bond with. And I know in your case, you and Charlotte only came eye to eye in her final moments. But personally, me being by your side throughout this adventure since the summer, I could sense an underlying bond between you and Charlotte since she became sentient."

"I'll be fine Yukari. Thanks." Morgana tried to reassure her. Still, Charlotte's sacrifice continued to take a toll towards Morgana's spirit. He never thought that an enemy he made recently would impact his life in so many ways.

Memories flooded back to Morgana on their mission to when they defeated Ryuji's shadow cognition back in the palace's garden as they unlocked one of the spirit attributes. The shadow had began to display its first signs of becoming sentient, which began to form into its own character with emotions after absorbing Caroline's life force in the palace's library on a separate mission.

From that day, Charlotte managed to become an important influence in Morgana's life – one that he shared a mixture of emotions as they started out fighting against one another, only to gradually earn each other's respect and feelings.

"I'm still in awe that Charlotte managed to turn good in the end," Haru brought up. "I mean, yes – we only knew of her just recently, but for Morgana and the Spirit Guardians, it must've been a surprise for a shadow to sacrifice their life for them."

"I mean, it was all thanks to the amulet that Morgana aimed to power up," Ann reminded the group. She looked over to the centre of the altar where Morgana had just placed the Spirit Amulet. It floated in the air as its eight stones glowed in harmony – its full powers now realized. "Whatever powers the Spirit Amulet contained, it seemed to influence Charlotte's heart while she wore it."

"A short time for her - but nevertheless, created a powerful impact in her soul that caused a change of heart." Ren concluded. He looked beside the Spirit Amulet, watching as it floated beside the palace's main treasure of the; the bond of his and Ann, represented by a glowing heart of light. "Who knew that this entire adventure all start because of a palace holding our bond as its treasure."

"Yeah… Still, I feel bad that our relationship caused so much problems for everyone else." Ann added, a look of guilt flooding over her face.

"Stop that, both of you." Morgana spoke up, shifting from his mood of sulking to one of sternness. "I told you before, none of this is your fault. This has been all my doing for delving into an unknown power. You guys shouldn't put the blame on your shoulders."

Ren and Ann remained silent, nodding over to Morgana as they accepted his choice to take accountability for all that had happened. Although, the couple sensed a greater burden currently on his mind.

"Morgana, are you still thinking about Caroline and Justine?" Ren asked. His question caught Morgana by surprise, confirming their suspicions.

"Am I that obvious?" Morgana replied, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. Seeking answers, he turned over to Lavenza's spirit. "Hey… so the Velvet Twins. Is there any way we can bring them back?"

Lavenza's spirit remained silent for a moment. An expression of regret overcame her.

" _ **Unfortunately, once the life forces of my other halves are used up, there is no way that the process can be reversed. The Velvet Twins that you have known for a long time are no more."**_ Lavenza's spirit answered.

"Oh… I see." Morgana's head lowered. Even with victory in their team's grasp, Morgana felt this outcome to be bittersweet for him. The two other partners that helped him begin this journey in the Spirit Palace were no longer here to celebrate their efforts.

Lavenza's spirit sensed Morgana's guilt and decided to give him a few uplifting words in order to cheer him up.

" _ **Which is why I request for you to continue living out your life, Morgana."**_ Lavenza's spirit encouraged him.  _ **"My other halves had yearned to experience the joys of living in reality. Our minds initially thought that divine intervention, such as utilizing the spirit amulet and its powers, would help us succeed in attaining that desire. But I now realize that we were wrong."**_

Morgana continued listening to Lavenza's explanation of her prior halves.

" _ **It is true that Caroline and Justine received their first exposure to reality through the Trickster, but it was you that gave them the true understanding of building relationships through the attributes of the Spirit Amulet."**_  Lavenza's spirit continued to explain.  _ **"You taught them joy, service, loyalty, honesty, patience – among other attributes important in a bond. Throughout their last remaining days, you gave them new life that no one else could. And for that, I am eternally grateful of your efforts."**_

Lavenza took a closer look at Morgana – reminding herself of the transformation and growth he had made in the past few months.

" _ **Alas, this human form that you also currently stand in. See it as a gift from them to invest in your own opportunities to create bonds in reality."**_ Lavenza's spirit encouraged Morgana.

"If I may add - having known the Velvet twins myself, I know they would say how grateful they are that you spent time with them, Morgana." Ren assured him, patting his friend on the shoulder with a proud look. "Just like us, they were blessed by your investment with them. Don't forget about that."

"Thanks, Ren." Morgana smiled back, peace finally settling in his heart regarding the twin's fates. Just like Lavenza's spirit said – he needed to live on for their sakes. Otherwise, Caroline and Justine's sacrifices would have been wasted.

"So what now? I'm guessing that our job is done?" Rise asked, looking over to Yukari, Ken and Korumaru – the four of them having been involved in this adventure the longest. "The Spirit Amulet has been completed. Meaning we won't have to worry about coming into this palace anymore, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Morgana replied. He looked over to his four new comrades – the original Spirit Guardians, and began to give his thanks to them. "I'm really grateful that you guys have been by my side since the very beginning of this nonsensical adventure. Although, I'm sorry for all the trouble I put upon you all and for wasting your time too."

"Wasting our time? Oh please! This is the most fun I've had in such a long time!" Yukari affirmed Morgana, coming over to his side to wrap an arm around him in reassurance. "I'd never pass down an opportunity on a Persona adventure! Plus, I got to reunite with some old friends along the way."

"It was truly an honour to work along your side, Morgana." Ken spoke with sincerity. "I also agree with Yukari – it was nice to utilize our Persona powers once again. Although, it would've been nice to have called on the other S.E.E.S members."

"Woof! Woof!" Korumaru awoke, barking in agreement as he shared his friend's enthusiasm.

"Totally! It would've been nice to have the rest of the Investigation team back in Inaba to help out! But I'll take what I can get!" Rise added. She turned over to Ryuji and the others, giving them all a wink. "Regardless, it was also really exciting to work alongside the infamous Phantom Thieves!"

"Oh shiiiit! Risette actually acknowledging her satisfaction in hanging out with us? This is a dream come true!" Ryuji pumped his fists in excitement and infatuation.

"Dream? Since when did you dream of this happening?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow at Ryuji.

"Way too long, Haru. Waaaay too long."

"Well, I guess this means the end of our collaboration," Makoto brought up, nodding over to the Spirit Guardians. "Although our time together was short, we managed to accomplish a lot as a singular force. I hope this won't be the end of our partnership though."

"Likewise, Niijima-san." Ken nodded back to her.

" _ **I am truly grateful of your combined efforts,"**_ Lavenza's spirit expressed to the entire group.  _ **"Even with the short notice, you have all managed to work together to stop an almighty threat. I can truly tell that all of you have been blessed with the powers of Persona."**_

"Thanks, blue butterfly girl!" Yukari replied with positivity. "So anyway, mind taking us back home? I was in the middle of a movie marathon back in my living room when you called me, heheh."

" _ **Certainly, I will ensure that you all return back to reality at the corresponding moment you left. It will be as if time hadn't passed in your respective lives."**_ Lavenza's spirit assured them, much to everyone's joy.

"Cool! I won't have to worry about losing time on studying ahead for finals coming up!" Futaba exclaimed as she stretched out her arms in relief.

"WHAT!? Oh shit, I forgot that tomorrow is December!" Ryuji immediately panicked. He recalled the countless number of assignments and essays that were long overdue for his attention. "I haven't even started on any of my final projects! Shit, I'm so screwed..."

"Oh Ryuji, seems that you would need a study partner." Kasumi chuckled. "Uhm… I don't mind helping you out, if that's fine with you. I still owe you for carrying me up all those stairs earlier."

"Awwh yeah! That would be awesome! You're a lifesaver, Kasumi!"

As the groups said their goodbyes to one another, Lavanza's spirit created a portal to each of their respective homes and times. Eventually, Ren, Ann and Morgana were the last ones remaining in the Room of Attribution.

"Well, time for us to get some well-deserved rest." Ann smiled, clinging over to Ren's arm.

"Definitely," Ren agreed. Turning around, he noticed that Morgana remained at the centre of the altar, staring at the Spirit Amulet. "Hey, Mona – are you going to join us?"

Morgana remained silent – his mind running endlessly on other thoughts. Sensing their friend's troubled state, Ren and Ann walked over to Morgana to check up on him.

"Hey… Anything else on your mind?" Ren asked, putting a hand on Morgana's shoulder.

"Sorry… I was just thinking about Charlotte and the last words she spoke to me." Morgana explained.

"You mean… if she loved you?" Ann managed to figure out.

"Y-Yeah..." Morgana replied, finding himself blush in embarrassment.

"Hmm, Lavenza… could you help us understand? For Morgana's sake." Ren asked her spirit, also intrigued by Charlotte's words. "All Morgana wants is closure. Please, if you are able to – let him understand what Charlotte felt."

Lavenza's spirit paused for a moment, reflecting on the words that Charlotte had spoken to Morgana before her sacrifice.  _ **"Charlotte was just like you, Morgana. Young in spirit and just learning to understand these emotions granted to her by the Spirit Amulet. Yet, even when both of you were on opposing sides, you each showcased a genuine heart in the attributes you sided with – both spirit and shadow. I can confirm that her words had meaning to them."**_

Morgana took a moment to process the information given by Lavenza's spirit. It was all coming to fruition in his mind. Throughout the battles he had fought against her in the Spirit Palace and reality, he had also created an underlying bond with Charlotte throughout their encounters.

The only other time Morgana remembered this same outcome was between Ren and Akechi – both fighting on opposing sides, only to realize how vastly similar they were in character, the difference being the upbringing they each had...

One who was fortunate enough to establish a strong bond with the friends he made over the last year.

The other – born into a situation out of their control, shrouded in dark circumstances and dictated by an evil influence – only for them to learn the goodness in others when it was too late.

Having started this entire journey seeking affection and purpose, Morgana realized that he had it all in one embodiment born out of the shadows.

But now – she was gone.

"So… the one time someone did say they loved me… I lose them." Morgana uttered in grief. He felt his hands shake as the realization was finally settling in his mind.

"Oh…. Morgana, I'm so sorry." Ann quickly sympathized with Morgana. Recalling his desire to receive affection, Ann understood how heartbreaking this outcome was for him.

"Still… it's weird. To actually lose someone you've invested so much time with… I… I don't know how I should handle this." Morgana expressed in a confused state, looking over to Ren and Ann for answers.

"Sometimes… just letting out your feelings to those close to you is the best way to handle your emotions." Ren said, giving Morgana a reassuring pat on the shoulder once more.

"Right… If you need to talk to us about anything, we won't hesitate to come to your side!" Ann stated with a smile.

"And besides – you've sacrificed so much of your time in keeping Ann and I together throughout the many problems our relationship faced." Ren reminded him. "It'd only be fair for us to help you out with your own troubles."

Morgana – overwhelmed by the support of his friends, suddenly felt tears well up in his eyes. The calm composure that he attempted to maintain in front of the others began to break as he now understood that he had a safe haven for his emotions.

This haven was within the very people he desired to protect.

"I…. I'm just tired of being alone." Morgana began to break down. His emotions began to spiral out of control as he lost the willpower to keep them inside. "I… I mean, I know I have you guys… B-But I just… want someone of my own… to lean on…"

"I know… It's okay, Morgana. You will always have us." Ren spoke softly, embracing his friend in a hug to comfort him.

Morgana began to cry as he hid his face into Ren's shoulder, tears soaking into their clothes as he finally allowed all his emotions out.

"I promise, Morgana. We'll be here for you until the very end." Ann reassured, joining the two boys in their hug. She did her best to maintain her own composure, otherwise both her and Morgana would be a weeping mess for Ren to deal with. "It's okay for you to cry… Just let it all out."

Morgana continued to weep for his lost love – releasing all of his sorrows out onto Ren and Ann.

_._

_.._

…

_**To be concluded!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


	31. New Year, New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The holidays approach as festivities begin. A new love blossoms. Life continues into the new year."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Ironically, to start new decade - I present to you the FINAL chapter of this story! I won't be saying much here – instead leaving all my thoughts at the end of this chapter – so once you finish reading, please take a moment to look over everything I have to say!
> 
> So without further ado, let's get into the finale! Be forewarned though, this is a very lengthy chapter, so be sure to get comfy - and maybe grab a couple tissues, heheheh...

****

**P5: The Bond That Makes Us One  
** **Final Episode: NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS**

* * *

 **\- DECEMBER -  
** **Tokyo, Japan  
** **Cafe Leblanc  
** **Evening**

After the final battle in the Spirit Palace – Morgana and the others continued on with their lives. As final exams approached in December, the group scrambled with their studying. For Ren, Ann and Ryuji, this would be their last exams before graduating high school, with each one of them striving to excel however difficult it would be. Countless nights consisted of staying up late at Cafe Leblanc in order to cram all their subjects, while Ren studied diligently at home in Kyoto.

"Grrrghh… My head feels like its going to explode with all this information!" Ryuji groaned as he began to bang his head on the coffee table.

"Be careful that you don't knock yourself unconscious, Ryuji! You still need your head for tomorrow's mathematics exam." Kasumi gently reminded him. Unlike her usual appearance – Kasumi had her hair styled down while sporting her study glasses.

"Even without basic addition, one would know that Ryuji plus numbers don't go well together." Futaba joked whilst keeping her focus in her notebook, writing away various numerical values as she easily calculated the equations given to her for practice.

"Uggh… You ain't wrong, Futaba." Ryuji groaned, remaining aloof as he contemplated how he was going to pass his exams tomorrow.

"I believe in you Ryuji! You've totally got this." Kasumi encouraged him once more. She patted Ryuji's back in support as he took a moment to rest his head on the table, utilizing his textbooks as a cushion.

"You know, Kasumi, I didn't notice how sophisticated you looked with your glasses and hair down. It really fits you well!" Ann commented, taking a break from writing down notes as she took another sip of her coffee. "It kinda makes me wanna try out glasses myself."

"Awwww yeah! Come and join the four-eyed club, Ann!" Futaba exclaimed.

"I think you would look great in glasses, Ann! Some red sleek ones would fit you perfectly, heheh." Kasumi encouraged her. "Although, do you need corrective lenses though? I believe your eyes work perfectly fine, from what I've seen."

"I mean, Ren doesn't need glasses, but he decides to wear them anyway." Ryuji brought up.

"That's because Ren's got a sense of fashion and class! Unlike a certain  _someone_  who can't even wear their school uniform correctly." Futaba teased, eyeing over Ryuji to see his reaction.

"What the hell? I'm not the only one who breaks the dress code! Ann's got her red tights around the hallways and she sticks out more than me!" Ryuji argued back.

"Yeah, but Ann is a model – she knows how to make her clothes pop in a fashionable way. You just wear a yellow shirt underneath your blazer." Kasumi explained. She looked over to Ann, expecting a comment from her, but noticed that she was in deep thought. "Hey Ann, is something wrong?"

"Oh… nothing. Just thinking about Ren now that you mentioned him." Ann replied. She leaned back in her seat, spinning her pen around her finger as she thought about her boyfriend and how he was coping with his own exams back in Kyoto.

"Awww… you miss him, don't you?" Kasumi teased, receiving a light smile and flustered face from Ann. "Don't worry, isn't he coming back to Tokyo to visit for the holidays?"

"Oh yeah! He is!" Ryuji sat up, a big smile sprawled across his face. Excitement filled his soul as he couldn't wait to see his friend return after whole month without him. Grabbing his pen, he regained motivation to push through and study. "Come on! Gotta do well on these stupid exams so I can make it to the holidays!"

"Hey, do you guys need more coffee?" Morgana suddenly called over to them, standing behind the counter clad in an apron as he quietly listened to his friend's conversations.

"Yes please! One macchiato with six espresso shots!" Futaba exclaimed as she raised her hand up.

"Futaba, that's  _waaay_ too much caffeine for you. Your heart rate is going to skyrocket and you won't be able to sleep tonight." Kasumi warned her.

"You know, it was nice of Ren to convince Sojiro to provide Morgana accommodation and a job for him here," Ann commented, watching as Morgana casually brewed a new batch of coffee for them.

"I'm just glad that I can rest easy, knowing that Morgana isn't wandering around the streets all by himself anymore." Kasumi added. "He deserves a place to call his own home here."

"How did Ren even convince Sojiro to allow Morgana to stay?" Ryuji asked.

"I think Ren said something along the lines of Morgana being extended family and how he would appreciate Sojiro for taking him in, just like how he did for Ren last year." Ann explained. "Regardless, we're just grateful that Sojiro has a big heart to open up his place for Morgana – even if they barely know each other."

"Don't worry, Sojiro-san and Morgana have been getting to know each other recently. I've seen them talking a lot about coffee brewing and curry cooking whenever I stop by here." Futaba assured them. "It's also the reason why Morgana's now an expert at brewing coffee! Even better than Ren! But don't tell him I said that!"

"Awwww, how wholesome!" Ann giggled. She was happy that Morgan was able to create more bonds on his own – just like how Ren was capable when he first came to Tokyo. "Heheh, seems like Ren and Morgana have a  _lot_ more in common than I thought."

As the four continued conversing over their study session, Morgana leaned against the counter, awaiting for their coffee to finish. His mind remained occupied while adapting to the drastic changes in his life so far. As his friends stated – he managed to establish a friendly bond with Sojiro-san, as well living in Cafe Leblanc's attic for the meantime. But once he had gotten into this daily routine – Morgana felt as if his life was slowly getting stagnant.

Apparently – this was the norm for humans, a lifestyle that Morgana had yearned for so long. Yet now that he reached his goal, he  _still_  felt that something was missing.

Charlotte immediately came to his mind yet again.

The first ever true bond that he made for himself. Morgana still replayed the scenario in his head – bringing himself back to the Spirit Palace during the final battle against the Embodiment.

The last words of Charlotte still lingered…

" _Morgana, I wouldn't have understood my feelings if it wasn't for your dedication – you've helped both of us realize the treasure of sacrificial love between two people." Charlotte expressed. "I am truly grateful of all the battles you've overcome… That... is what I love about you."_

Did Charlotte truly love him?

Did he really fall for Charlotte after those simple words she spoke?

Morgana wished to have been given an opportunity to explore that chance.

But with her gone – he would never know.

"…Morgana?"

"Grrrghh uhh, whatsup?" Morgana stuttered, caught off-guard as his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Uhhm, not sure if you noticed, but I think the coffee you've been brewing is ready." Kasumi motioned over to Morgana's side – directing his attention to the coffee machine beside him.

"Ohh… right, sorry 'bout that!" Morgana apologized. He quickly prepared their drinks and carried them over to the table, gently placing their coffee on their respective coasters – keeping mind not to spill any around their study notes.

"Hey… You alright, Morgana?" Ann asked, sensing that something was currently bothering him. "We've noticed that you seem a bit out of it at the moment."

"Bro, if you need to talk, we can take a break and just relax if you want." Ryuji offered, already feeling his mind wearing down from the short amount of studying he had done.

"It's okay! I'm fine you guys, really!" Morgana tried to reassure them, forcing out a smile as he let out a soft chuckle. "Seriously though, I don't want to distract you guys from studying. Don't mind me at all!"

"...Okay. If you say so." Futaba commented, looking over to her coffee as she smelled it's warm aroma. "Awww… There's not enough espresso in here!"

"How do you even know that if you haven't even sipped it yet?" Kasumi asked, rolling her eyes at Futaba.

Morgana retreated back behind the counter, allowing his friends to resume their studying. His mind continued on its roller coaster of thoughts regarding the Spirit Palace and how he still missed his opportunity with Charlotte. No matter how hard he tried – it was as if a voice kept pulling him back to these thoughts and preventing Morgana from truly moving on from his feelings.

_Come on, Morgana… Just gotta keep moving forward… That's how life works, after all. Keep on pushing…Right?_

_**...** _

Final exams eventually came and went, much to the group's relief as they could finally relax and spend the holidays together. Unfortunately, Ren wasn't able to make it to Tokyo for Christmas as he already made prior commitments with his own family at the time – but he promised that he would make it to celebrate the New Year with his friends.

Hearing the news, Ann was a bit disappointed, but she promised not to let it bother her, instead focusing on her efforts to make a grand celebration for Ren when he'd return to Tokyo.

"Come on! We've gotta get these decorations up before Ren makes it back!" Ann hollered behind her as she rushed through the alleyways of Yongen-Jaya. Morgana, Futaba, Ryuji and Kasumi did their best to keep up with Ann while carrying heavy boxes of decorations and presents.

"C-Careful, Ann! It's super icy out here!" Morgana warned her. He did his best to stroll cautiously throughout the frozen alleyways while carrying his box of decorations, which were intended for decorating Cafe Leblanc.

"Whoa whoah whoa - SHIIIT!" Ryuji screamed, losing his balance as he tripped and fell on a patch of ice he hadn't seen. His box of decorations went flying around as they scattered in the snow.

"Gaah! Ryuji!" Kasumi called out to him. She rushed to his side as he checked up on the fallen boy. "Ohh, you poor thing. Here, let me help you up."

"Way to go, Ryuji. You literally are falling for Kasumi." Futaba said sarcastically, helping Morgana pick up the dropped decorations while Kasumi helped Ryuji up.

"Sorry, what was that, Futaba?" Kasumi asked as he helped Ryuji up, slinging one of his arms around her shoulder to help him keep balance.

"Ohh, nothing." Futaba gave a mischievous grin to Morgana, who couldn't help but shrug at her comment.

"Come on, Ann's probably at the cafe already." Morgana reminded them.

Eventually, the group managed to catch up to Ann as she awaited for them outside the door to Cafe Leblanc. The group entered as they heard Christmas music continuing to blast out throughout the cafe's speakers. Sojiro simply sat on the counter as he enjoyed a cup of his own coffee. He looked over to the group as they came in, exhausted from all the running around they had done to retrieve the necessary decorations.

"Don't worry, Amamiya-san isn't here yet." Sojiro assured them.

"Is the cake ready, though?" Ann asked, calling over the counter. She peered over into the kitchen to check on the others and the progress they were making.

"No worries, Takamaki-san. I provided some insight to ensure that the cake looks appealing for Ren's arrival." Yusuke clapped his hands together as flour flew around him, causing him to cough from accidentally inhaling it.

"In other words, Yusuke was being very meticulous, as usual." Makoto added as she began to wash her hands in the kitchen's sink. "But I gotta admit, he isn't an artist for nothing. The cake looks like it could be displayed in an art museum!"

"Le gâteau est parfait!" Haru cheered on, coming out of the kitchen as she carried their finished baked good on the fine silver platter. It was a grand, four layer red velvet cheesecake topped with strawberries and candy cane sprinkles, along with red frosting along its white icing layer.

"Yes! It looks perfect!" Ann pumped her fists in excitement. Her mouth already began to water just at the sight of the delicacy.

"Ann! Don't be eyeballing the cake already! We've gotta set up these decorations before Ren arrives, remember?" Morgana called out to her.

"Yeah, but just give me a couple minutes to recover my back. It still hurts like hell." Ryuji addressed as he sat down in one of the cafe booths, still feeling the pain from his fall earlier.

"Here, I'll get you a warm pack to help soothe your back." Kasumi told him, running over to the attic to find extra first-aid supplies.

For the next half hour, Cafe Leblanc was in a busy state as everyone scrambled to put up the festive decorations. Futaba and Yusuke constantly bickered on how the streamers should be displayed along the edges of the cafe, while Makoto and Haru began to set up the large banner across the counter that read " _Welcome back!"_  in bright gold lettering among a sleek silver background. Morgana aided with Ryuji and Kasumi as they began to blow up balloons to decorate the room. Lastly, Ann took account of all their presents for their gift exchange.

In the midst of it all the chaos – Sojiro remained calm as he silently watched the rowdy teenagers decorate to their heart's content.

"Heh, the kid must  _really_ love his friends enough to come back and deal with their mishaps." Sojiro amused himself.

Eventually, the group completed their preparations – mere moments before Ren entered through the cafe doors, currently clad in his winter coat and carrying his own bag of presents for the group.

"Reeeen! You're finally back!" Ann called out to him as he entered through Cafe Leblanc's door, running up to her boyfriend. She glomped onto Ren, almost causing him to lose balance and drop his bag of goodies.

"Merry Christmas buddy!" Ryuji happily greeted Ren, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder as everyone joined them.

"Thanks guys. But you do know that its already past Christmas, right?" Ren chuckled.

"Well, we technically never got to spend Christmas with you last year, seeing as you were stuck in jail, remember?" Makoto reminded him. "We figured holding off some of our own Christmas spirit until you came back."

"Heck yeah! Christmas wouldn't be complete without you, Ren!" Futaba stated with glee.

Ren smiled. Times like this was when he felt blessed to have such dedicated friends in Tokyo. For the first time in quiet awhile, Ren felt like everything in his life was going well – with a happy family back home, awesome friends who were always excited to see him return and school being complete, it seemed like his future looked brighter than ever.

"Good to see you, boy." Sojiro eventually greeted Ren with a nod. He noticed that he had come alone, much to Sojiro's disappointment as he held up a small gift bag in his hand. "Huh, you didn't bring the cat with you this time? Shame, I brought a little gift for the guy. I'll be honest, I kinda miss seeing the furry fellow."

"Oh… right." Ren responded, taking a moment to stare at Morgana, unsure of what to say. "Well, I'm sure he'd appreciate your gift, Sojiro. I'll give it to home right when I get back home."

"Certainly. Alright, you kids take care. I'm gonna head back home and get some rest. Just make sure to clean up after yourselves when you're done." Sojiro waved the group farewell, leaving the cafe in order for the group to spend quality time together.

Once Sojiro was gone, Ren handed Morgana the little gift bag meant for him. Taking a peek inside, Morgana found a blue cat collar laced with two silver bells that jingled upon shaking it.

"Awwwwwww! That's so cute!" Kasumi smiled, reaching over with a finger as she tapped one of the silver bells.

"Pfffft, so are you gonna wear that around your neck, Mona?" Futaba chuckled, unable to hold in her laughter.

"Eheh, you're funny aren't you." Morgana rolled his eyes at Futaba. Even though he and Sojiro recently became close as mentor and apprentice in terms of cafe business, Morgana felt grateful that his cat form hadn't been forgotten by the old man. "It's the thought that counts, anyway. Still, I should probably write Sojiro a thank-you card or something."

The group began their late-Christmas party, indulging in the various foods that they had prepared ahead of time, along with the freshly baked red velvet cheesecake for dessert. After taking a moment to catch up with their lives, sharing many laughters and exchanging their presents, Ann looked over to the time, realizing that night finally fell upon them.

"Oooooh! Come on! We've got another surprise for you!" Ann exclaimed, grabbing Ren by his hand as she began dragging him towards the doorway.

"Gaaaagh! Ann, you're eventually going to pull my arm off!" Ren squealed, helplessly following his girlfriend out the door.

"Quick, we better keep an eye on them, otherwise Ren might lose an arm." Makoto expressed as she and the others gathered into their winter wardrobe.

"You going to be okay, Sakamoto-san?" Kasumi asked, ensuring that Ryuji was fit to walk after his fall earlier. "Uhmm… If you need a buddy to walk with, I wouldn't mind accompanying you… if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah sure, that would be nice." Ryuji replied, taking Kasumi's hand as the duo followed the others outside – unaware of the greater implications of their gesture.

"W-Wait! What about the cafe? We promised Sojiro-san that we'd clean it up!" Morgana called over to them, looking over at the leftover decorations and dirty plates left in the kitchen sink.

"Don't worry, Mona-chan! You've got a key, right? We can come back later and help you put away the decorations later on." Futaba promised. "Come on, dude! We've got more partying to look forward to!"

"Uggh… I hope Sojiro doesn't come back while we're gone." Morgana sighed, ensuring to close the lights and locked the door to the cafe.

Unknown to him however, this would eventually lead to a night that Morgana would never forget.

* * *

 **\- DECEMBER -  
** **Tokyo, Japan  
** **Destinyland  
** **Evening**

A festive atmosphere filled the theme park as the hours counted down to the New Year. Everyone was gathered within Destinyland's outdoor concert hall as they jammed out to a live performance by Rise Kujikawa – who was currently holding a special  _New Years Eve Bash_ for all of Tokyo to enjoy – consisting of that year's popular hits, along with her own songs. Playing alongside her was the Investigation team, all of them coming from Inaba to help play in her band for this special event.

"Wooooooot! This is the best way to spend New Years eve!" Ryuji shouted, excitedly pumping his fists up and down as he and the entire audience sang along to Rise's classic hit,  _True Story._

" _Get ready for your Truuuuue Stoooooorrrrrrry!"_ Futaba and Kasumi both sang along as they attempted to copy Risette's intricate choreography on-stage.

"Both of your moves are out of sync! Here, let me show you how true art is done!" Yusuke commented. Pushing Futaba and Kasumi aside, Yusuke began to show off his own exaggerated moves – except his actions remained stiff and consisted more of dramatic poses with his arms and head moving in convoluted ways.

"Yep… Go and show 'em who's boss, Yusuke." Makoto chuckled, choosing to remain a distance from her crazy friends.

"Grrrrrgh! Inari! Why you gotta ruin all the fun!?" Futaba yelled at him – only to be ignored as Yusuke continued dancing in his own little bubble.

"Ooooh! I want to join!" Haru exclaimed. She began to spin around as she showcased her ballet abilities, only to accidentally kick another spectator right in their special area. "Gaah! I'm so sorry mister! I didn't mean to hit you between your legs."

"Seems like everyone is enjoying themselves!" Ann giggled over to Ren, watching as their friends danced to the live music. She kept an arm wrapped around her boyfriend to avoid losing him from the excited crowd.

"Maybe they shouldn't have eaten so much of that cotton candy at the park booth's before coming to the concert," Ren rolled his eyes, yet still finding amusement in their friend's antics. He even took a couple videos on his phone of their shenanigans the entire night.

"How are you guys over there?" Ann called over as she looked back, finding Shiho and Ken quietly enjoying the concert in their own space – the couple having joined their group when they all arrived at the theme park.

"We're doing just fine!" Shiho replied with a thumbs-up. "But if you don't mind us, we're staying in the back in order to avoid getting roundhouse kicked by Haru, heheh."

"Geez, look at her go," Ken commented, watching in awe as everyone around Haru gave her space to pirouette in place non-stop. "She's like a Beyblade that never stops!"

As everyone continued enjoying themselves, Ren couldn't help but notice Morgana standing beside him. Opposite to the excitement around them, Morgana remained still as he kept his head down, apparent that he was deep into thought.

"Hey, how you holding up, buddy?" Ren asked, gently nudging over to Morgana.

"Ohh…. Uhh I'm fine Ren, really." Morgana tried to assure him, forcing a smile across his face. Deep down, however, Morgana was unable to enjoy the festive night as his mind remained distracted over one consistent thought that had reoccurred just now.

"Thinking about her again, huh?" Ren asked.

Morgana didn't answer, only for his face to turn red once again, which confirmed Ren's suspicion. He lowered his gaze as he attempted to hide his expression with the scarf around his neck.

"Sorry… I should be enjoying the night with y'all… but I can't stop thinking about Charlotte." Morgana expressed, feeling guilty that his emotions were getting in the way of the entire night.

Ren sympathized with him. Even though it had already been almost a month since the events in the Spirit Palace, Ren could see that it still had a large impact on Morgana. Before Ren could provide any words of comfort, the crowd suddenly erupted as Rise began to lead them in a countdown to the New Year.

"Alright everyone! I just wanna give y'all another big thank you for coming out tonight and spending New Years Eve with me and my friends up on stage!" Rise announced as the crowd continued cheering for her. She brought their attention to the gigantic screen behind the stage as a countdown was displayed. "Now is time for the big event! Why don't you all count with me as we leap forward into the new year!"

The entire stadium began to count down in unison...

5…

4…

3…

2…

1...

" _ **HAPPY NEW YEAR!"**_ the entire stadium erupted in excitement. Colorful fireworks began to light up the night sky as triumphant music began to play. Everyone excitedly

"Happy New Year, babe." Ann uttered to her boyfriend, giving him a heartwarming smile as she reflected on the growth of their relationship for the past year. To her, Ren's face appeared to brighten up underneath the flashes of fireworks from above – reminding herself of how much of a light her boyfriend had been for her.

"Happy New Year, Ann." Ren replied. He stared back into Ann's gaze, feeling grateful that he was able to spend their first New Year's eve together. The couple stared at each other as the sounds of cheering slowly fazed out for them. Time slowed down as they both gradually leaned forward, locking into a passionate kiss to signify the special moment they shared together.

Off to the side, Morgana sighed as he watched Ren and Ann share their New Years kiss. He wasn't aware that giving your significant other a kiss at the New Yea was a tradition, yet seeing the sight suddenly devastated him, reminding him of his situation on being alone without a partner.

Suddenly, Morgana caught a glimpse in the corner of his eye. Looking over, he gave an audible gasp as he witnessed both Kasumi and Haru embracing Ryuji as they both kissed him on each of his cheeks.

"WHAT!?" Morgana yelped in shock.

"H-Hey! What's going on? Stop that. Stop that!" Futaba yelled, bonking Ryuji in the back of his head with her gloves. Kasumi ended up stepping back, her face covered in red while Haru looked in awe, surprised at the outcome of events.

"Huh? Ryuji? Kasumi? Haru? S-Since when!?" Makoto hollered in surprise.

"What pity. I missed it," Yusuke said in disappointment, turning around only to find Futaba continually bonk on Ryuji's head while Kasumi and Haru both covered their mouths - still frozen in shock.

"I-I don't know what happened! I swear!" Ryuji tried to explain, slowly backing away from the others as Haru and Kasumi both looked at each other in confusion.

"W-Wait… since when did you have a thing for Ryuji?" Haru began to ask Kasumi as she did her best to remain polite.

"Uhm… It's been pretty recent, if I'm being honest." Kasumi responded, looking down in embarrassment. "Wait a minute! What about you? I didn't know you liked him either! How long has this been happening?"

"Th-That's none of your business!" Haru argued back. She looked down to the ground as she began to fiddle her fingers around. "So… what are we supposed to do now?"

"I… I don't know actually." Kasumi mimicked Haru's gesture, uncertain of what this sudden revelation meant for their friendship.

"Oooooh, now I wasn't expecting  _that_ to happen, heheh." Ann giggled, watching as the commotion started to unfold between her friends.

"Heheh, who would've known, huh Morgana?" Ren commented, turning over to him - only to realize Morgana had disappeared into the crowd. Ren gave a concerned look as he turned over to Ann. "Huh, is it me, or did something seem off with Morgana?"

"Yeah… he's been like that ever since Charlotte happened last month." Ann answered. She sighed, reflecting on their past attempts to cheer him up throughout the last month."We've been trying a lot to help out, babe. But no matter what we do, it just always comes back to haunt him."

"Hopefully he'll find what he's looking for." Ren prayed - yet uncertainty lingered on both their minds. All they hoped for was Morgana to be able to move on – or at least find a new purpose in his life. Ren and Ann were currently at their happiest as a couple, yet felt saddened that their friend couldn't find the same type of joy as them.

The entire stadium continued to celebrate the new year as Rise led her band into the final selection of songs for the night.

…

Morgana strolled by himself through Destinyland, passing by the few number of people still hanging out in the amusement park. Coming across a lone bench beside the merry-go-around, Morgana took a moment to sit down as he allowed the lingering thought of loneliness to overwhelm him.

Something was off about him tonight – or if he was being honest, the whole month. Morgana knew he shouldn't have felt lonely. He had all that he could ever want under his circumstances – friends who loved him, a job brewing coffee to keep him busy and a human form to grant him further capabilities to live out life.

But why wasn't that enough for him?

Was he being ungrateful? Or did his heart still yearn to fill in the one last missing piece?

To be with someone.

"Ren's got Ann, and now Ryuji might suddenly have a thing with either Kasumi or Haru. Yet here I am, all alone." Morgana talked to himself as he laid back in the lone park bench and sighed. He shouldn't be sulking like this – Morgana should be back celebrating with the others! This was an exciting moment to celebrate his first ever New Year – yet he was pouting by himself while joy was happening all around him. How much sadder could he be?

"She's never coming back, you've gotta accept that, Mona." Morgana spoke to himself, closing his eyes as he replayed the last moments he had with Charlotte, before she had sacrificed herself for their friends. The one person who seemed like she was made for him, now gone out of his life.

**...**

" _ **...Morgana."**_

"Huh?" Morgana began to look around, surprised to hear a familiar voice echo into his mind. He looked around, wondering if it was the others who had caught up with him from the Rise concert. Morgana continued looking around the park in confusion until the voice spoke more clearly in his mind.

" _ **Come…. To the Ferris Wheel."**_ the voice echoed out once more.

"No way… It couldn't be." Morgana said, immediately standing up as he scrambled for directions, figuring out where the Ferris Wheel was. Arriving at the destination, Morgana's jaw almost dropped at the sight of a familiar friend he hadn't seen in awhile.

" _ **Join me inside, Morgana."**_ Lavenza directed, standing right outside the Ferris Wheel cart as she motioned for him to follow.

"Hmm, I guess the worker can't see her." Morgana commented as he approached the Ferris Wheel worker, who appeared to be out of the moment as they didn't bother acknowledging Lavenza's presence. Morgana had realized how embarrassing it was going to be getting on a Ferris Wheel without a date – let alone a friend that the worker couldn't physically see. "Uhm… It's just going to be me riding this one."

"Ride for one, huh? Eh… that's kinda sad, bro." the worker stated without care.

"Don't remind me." Morgana groaned, rolling his eyes at the ferris wheel worker as he climbed into the cart. As the doors closed and ride began, Morgana began his interrogation. "Lavenza! Why are you here tonight? You haven't reached out since

" _ **I figured you and your group needed to rest, especially with everyone focusing on other matters such as their education."**_ Lavenza spoke, remaining calm in her seat as if this wasn't such an odd occurrence. Instead of wearing her usual maiden dress, Lavenza sported a more casual attire fitting the weather - consisting of a royal blue trench coat, a black french beret and black jeans and matching gloves.

"Your body though, you look a lot more… alive, for lack of a better term." Morgana noted, taking a moment to inspect Lavenza's appearance. Recalling to their last meetup in the Spirit Palace – Lavenza's spirit solely made up of a blue apparition, due to being a back-up of Lavenza's actual life, which had been lost when Caroline and Justine gave up their lives.

" _ **As you have taken time to recuperate from your adventures, I've allowed my spirit to gradually heal into a physical embodiment in order "**_ Lavenza explained, reaching a hand out for Morgana to hold onto and feel her physical body restored.  _ **"Although, unlike my last form – I am unable to revert back to my twins form. Moving forward, I am simply Lavenza from now on."**_

"I understand… I think." Morgana replied, taking a moment to Regardless, he was happy to see his friend return once again. "It really is great to see you again, Lavenza. I thought I had seen the last of you when we left the Spirit Palace in your care."

" _ **Likewise, Mona-chan. But alas, it seems that fate has brought us together again for one more purpose."**_ Lavenza stated, taking a moment to look out the ferris wheel cart as she took in the marvelous view of the entire Destinyland – the ground blooming with life as she watched the civilians celebrating the New Year.  _ **"May I ask – how was your holidays in the last few days? Did you indulge in a lot of food to your liking?"**_

"Yeah… It was actually quite a nice holiday for me." Morgana answered, taking a moment to explain the activities he participated with his friends – including Christmas shopping, drinking hot chocolate at the cafe and making their plans to go ice skating when Ren returned from Kyoto. "Still… the entire time, my heart felt like it was still yearning for something."

" _ **Or someone?"**_ Lavenza answered, managing to read Morgana's mind.

"Y-Yeah… I guess." Morgana answered shyly, lowering his head as he sighed once again. "Lavenza… am I being ungrateful? I've got everything that I've ever wanted right now. Why isn't my heart satisfied yet?"

" _ **Oh, Morgana. Don't feel guilty of your selfishness at all."**_ Lavenza attempted to comfort him.  **"** _ **You've sacrificed so much of your own desires for the benefit of your friends – especially with the Trickster and Lover. Reflecting on your efforts, I believe that you deserve a happy ending of your own."**_

"Mmhm… If only it were that easy." Morgana sighed, taking a moment to look out to the stadium below. Rise's New Years concert was still happening as the loud bass of the music managed to reach the Ferris Wheel. There was no question that the rest of his friends were still enjoying the festive night while Morgana remained melancholic.

Sensing Morgana's self-pity, Lavenza waved her hands in the air as a blue shimmer of light appeared, eventually taking physical form of a royal blue present wrapped with a teal, elegant ribbon. She handed it over to Morgana.  _ **"As the people in this world say – Merry Christmas, Morgana."**_

"Whoah… for real? A gift for me?" Morgana said with surprise, taking the gift from Lavenza's hand. He thanked Lavenza for the nice gesture, genuinely shocked to have received a gift from her in the first place. Slowly unwrapping the gift, Morgana was struck with awe as he gazed at the gift inside.

It was the Spirit Amulet – with all eight stones shining in a calming, blue light.

"It's… the Spirit Amulet? Why are you giving this to me?" Morgana asked, bewildered as he took the amulet out of the box and held it in front of him.

" _ **Heheh. Oh Morgana, did you forget what I had told you from the very beginning when I recruited you for our assignment?"**_ Lavenza's spirit reminded him.  _ **"Your goal was to understand the foundations of a true relationship in order to gather energy for the amulet. But there is a greater potential that is only possible once all the eight attribute stones are powered up."**_

Suddenly, a memory popped into Morgana's mind – taking him back to his first reunion with Lavenza back in her own pocket dimension when she had recruited him for the Spirit Amulet assignment…

" _...this specific artifact will grant more than just an understanding of emotions. It can allow the user to express any emotion they desire at will and allow them to create the body of another human with full emotions to interact with, essentially creating a spirit akin to humans themselves. Lastly.. it will also allow the user to become a human as well."_

Morgana remembered – the Spirit Amulet, once fully powered up, had the capabilities of  _creating_ new life.

"W-What did you have in mind, Lavenza?" Morgana asked, raising an eyebrow as he tried to figure out her motive.

" _ **I am offering you a second chance at a bond. A second chance for a new life with someone."**_ Lavenza's spirit explained. She pointed over to the stones in the Spirit Amulet. It took awhile for Morgana to notice the difference in their light.  _ **"I have infused the stones with a special energy I found leftover in the gardens of the Spirit Palace, after your group battled against the Embodiment of Hate."**_

"This blue energy inside – there's only one person I know who emits this color of energy." Morgana realized, his heart skipping a beat . "No way! You're saying that Charlotte can come back!?"

" _ **With the power of the Spirit Amulet's full potential and her life force together, your wish to revive her will be possible."**_ Lavenza explained, watching as Morgana's face lit up with hope.  _ **"But take note – once you have used the amulet's powers to revive Charlotte's life, you cannot do the action again. This is a one time miracle for you to utilize."**_

"One miracle is more than I could ever ask for." Morgana said. He looked over to Lavenza with concern. "Uhm, so how do I get Charlotte back?"

" _ **Wear the amulet around your neck and connect your mind to hers."**_ Lavenza simply stated.  _ **"Focus on the journey you both have taken together learning about both the spirit and shadow attributes. Then – if your belief is strong enough, she will come to you."**_

"Alright… Here goes nothing." Morgana stated, carefully placing the amulet around his neck as he wished strongly for Charlotte to return. Taking heed of Lavenza's advice, Morgana mustered up all of his strength to focus on the memories he and Charlotte shared – beginning from his first encounter of the shadows in the palace, learning about the shadow attributes and when her consciousness awakened later on.

The spirit attributes that Morgana had spent the entirety of last year obtaining, in conjunction with Charlotte's own journey as she became sentient, unlocking the shadow attributes herself as she initially battled against Morgana's ideals.

Both light and dark – requiring each other for perfect balance.

Understanding for a relationship to excel, it required both experience of the good and the bad.

One side unable to strive without the other.

Just like how Morgana was unable to fully understand the importance of the spirit attributes without persevering through the opposition of the shadow attributes that Charlotte held.

"Come on, Charlotte… You've spent your whole life in darkness, only to learn the true value bonding with someone until it was too late." Morgana gritted is teeth, feeling an immense power beginning to build up the Spirit Amulet. "Come back… You deserve another chance to fulfill a true bond… A bond… with me… A bond… that can make us one."

As the Ferris Wheel approached the peak of its height, a swift flash of blue light emitted from the Spirit Amulet, blasting out of the ferris cart Morgana and Lavenza were in. For a moment, Morgana's vision was blind until he managed to regain vision. As his sight became clear, he noticed a lone figure sitting unconscious across from him.

"Ch-Charlotte!?" Morgana stuttered, baffled that the amulet's powers had worked. Charlotte was clad in the same outfit she had always worn – her trademark black trench coat over her royal blue turtleneck sweater, dark gray jeans and black boots. Her hair was in the usual platinum blonde buns.

Unsure if she was really sitting across from him in the flesh, Morgana leaned forward and gently poked her in the side.

"Eheh… that tickles." Charlotte giggled, shifting in her seat. She slowly opened her eyes, surprised to find herself in the ferris wheel cart alone with Morgana. She let out a quick scream as she frantically took in her surrounding, before attending to the boy in front of her. "M-Morgana! W-Where am I? H-How did I get here?"

"Uhm… first of all, hi again. Second, it might take me awhile to explain, but it was all thanks to-" Morgana looked over to the seat beside Charlotte, noticing that Lavenza was not there anymore.

"Morgana! Start explaining now!" Charlotte suddenly yelled at him, demanding answers to her sudden reawakening.

"Okay okay okay! See, remember the amulet? Lavenza gave it to me to revive your whole body after infusing your leftover energy into the stones." Morgana tried to explain. He realized that sentence was probably the most absurd thing he had said so far.

"That doesn't make any sense! I thought I died! I sacrificed my life for you guys, right?" Charlotte argued back, still looking around to process her surroundings. "Wait, are we still in the Spirit Palace? Where are the others? What happened to the Embodiment we were fighting? And why are we soooo high up in this contraption!? Morgana! I wanna get down now!"

"Oooof, uhm, that's a lot of questions which will take awhile for us to cover," Morgana said, scratching the back of his head as he wondered how to catch Charlotte up to speed. Although, he couldn't help but be amused by her last comment. "Eheh, wait, are you afraid of heights?"

"NO! Shut up! Charlotte yelled back at him, the entire situation overwhelming her as she began to hyperventilate in her seat.

"Hey… calm down, Charlotte." Morgana reassured her. Seeing as she was spiraling down in her own panic, Morgana decided to lean closer and gently grasped both of her hands in order to help her relax. "Don't worry, I'm right here with you."

"Morgana…. Uhm… Uh…" Charlotte suddenly felt her heart race even faster, realizing how tenderly Morgana held her hands as he gave her a calming look. Her cheeks began to flush red as her yellow pupils began to dilate at him. "How… How am I still alive?"

"With this," Morgana said, retrieving the Spirit Amulet as he held it up for her to see. The Spirit Amulet continued to glow, yet lost its blue aura it had previously - signifying that Charlotte's energy infused in it was used up for her revival. "Lavenza gave it to me. After you sacrificed yourself against the Embodiment, she collected your life force left behind in the gardens and combined it with the energy of the Spirit Amulet."

"I see…

"Yeah! They're all doing well!" Morgana replied cheerfully. A smile grew across his face as he stared back at Charlotte. "It's all thanks to you. You saved not just my friends, but the relationships of everyone else in reality."

"...Stop it!" Charlotte suddenly yelped as he noticed Morgana staring at her way too long – leading up with a punch to his right shoulder to snap him out of his trance.

"H-Hey! What did I do!?" Morgana groaned, rubbing his shoulder from Charlotte's punch.

"S-Stop staring at me like that! It feels as if you're trying to pierce into my soul… It's… It's too much for me, uggggh!" Charlotte complained, crossing her arms as she felt her heart continue to beat rapidly. She didn't know how to explain it, but having Morgana stare at her made her feel both uneasy… and yet excited at the same time.

"Seriously? Is that the thanks I get for reviving your entire soul?" Morgana scoffed, crossing his arms in the same fashion as her as he stared out of the ferris cart window.

"Hmph! It's not like I asked you to save my life,  _feline_." Charlotte growled back.

"Ooooooh, you just  _had_ to use the F-word, huh? That's it, I'm not saying another word to you anymore."

"Fine… I can relax in peace and quiet until this ride is over then."

For a moment, the couple remained in silence, yet managed to catch quick glances from the other as they both attempted to hide behind a wall of disinterest. Regardless, Charlotte couldn't keep her mouth shut as she was immediately enamored by the sight of Destinyland from atop the Ferris Wheel.

"This view though…. It's so fascinating." Charlotte commented, her anger toward Morgana quickly dwindling as she was caught in the spectacular sight of the theme park as a gentle snowfall began to cover the site in a white blanket.

"...Y-Yeah… it is." Morgana stated. Funnily enough, he had soon lost interest in the view outside. Instead, his gaze remained on the girl sitting in front of him. Morgana couldn't help but find Charlotte's wonderment of the view outside to be so adorable. He recalled of Charlotte's limited experience in the real world, as her spirit remained bound in the Spirit Palace as her mind was shrouded by the influence of the shadow attributes.

Morgana looked back down to the Spirit Amulet. This second chance was not only for him to start anew with Charlotte – but for her to live out a full life to create her own memories.

" _ **Use this chance to its fullest potential, Morgana."**_ Lavenza's voice suddenly echoed into his mind one last time.  _ **"You and her, now both fully human – only having this single lifetime together. Cherish this bond given to you."**_

"Lavenza… Thank you." Morgana whispered to himself, before bringing his attention back to Charlotte. She had eventually calmed down as she relaxed in her seat, enjoying the scene of Destinyland arising in sight as their Ferris Wheel cart slowly lowered.

"You know, Mona, this particular setting reminds me of a memory that the Trickster shared to me – specifically about his Lover" Charlotte began to recount.

"Really? Hmm, I think I know what you might be talking about, heh." Morgana answered. "It was when they had one of their first kisses on the Ferris wheel, right?"

"Right! Ever since he told me about that story, I had made it my own personal mission to accomplish that goal myself." Charlotte added, leaning back in her seat as she imagined the moment with herself in the same position. She let out a sigh. "Although, since the Trickster is fully devoted to his Lover, it looks like I'm going to have to find someone else to help me make that goal into reality."

"Heheh… That's nice to hear." Morgana commented, letting out a light-hearted chuckle that caught Charlotte's attention.

"Excuse me, feline? Why do you laugh at my aspirations, hmm?" Charlotte asked, taking offense of Morgana's laughter as mockery of her desires.

"No, no, I didn't mean to offend you. It just reminded me of how your first and only goal was to have Ren for yourself." Morgana explained himself, using this opportunity to praise Charlotte for adapting a new mindset. "Seeing you imagine a newer goal in your life, it shows the growth that you've been quick to adapt. You're slowly becoming more than what you were born into."

"Ohh… uhm…th-that was supposed to be a compliment, r-right?" Charlotte asked, feeling shy and a bit embarrassed in requesting clarification.

"Heh, yeah it was." Morgana answered. "It's just really nice to see you act so… normal. Like a  _real_ person."

"Eheh… well, I probably wouldn't be this way if it weren't for the Spirit Amulet's energy to open up my mind." Charlotte reminded him, looking over to the very artifact in Morgana's hand that brought her back to life. "And most importantly, I have you to thank for saving my life twice."

"Twice? How so?" Morgana asked.

"Well, my change of heart wouldn't be possible had you not sacrificed your time and efforts into powering up the amulet – so I have to thank you for that." Charlotte explained. She began to blush once more, suddenly feeling shy around Morgana. "And the second time being now – when you wished me back into reality."

"Oh… yeah, I guess that makes sense." Morgana agreed. He hadn't even thought that his journey to gather the spirit attributes made Charlotte into a better person and helping her turn away from the darker influences. "Anyway, I'm really glad that you're okay, Charlotte. You deserve better than death itself."

"But Mona, you could've wished for anything with the Spirit Amulet. Why did you have to waste your wish on me?" Charlotte asked.

Morgana paused for a moment, feeling his cheeks flush with red once again. How was he going to tell Charlotte that he had been thinking about her every day for the past month? He didn't want to lay down all his feelings in one sitting, thinking it would be too much for Charlotte to comprehend after she had just been revived. Thinking carefully of the next words he would choose, Morgana eventually changed the topic of their discussion to a more serious one about their feelings.

"Charlotte… Did you really mean those words that you said? Right before you sacrificed yourself to the Embodiment?" Morgana questioned her.

"Oh…. Uhm..." Charlotte took a moment to recall what she said. At the time, she had been flustered with the new range of emotions after her exposure to the spirit attributes that changed her heart. Charlotte felt a greater sense of peace and desire to bring out more positivity from her heart – and her first grand gesture had been professing her gratitude to Morgana in the form of a confession…

...

" _Morgana, I wouldn't have understood my feelings if it wasn't for your dedication – you've helped both of us realize the treasure of sacrificial love between two people." Charlotte expressed. "I am truly grateful of all the battles you've overcome… That... is what I love about you."_

…

"I… confessed my love for you." Charlotte realized. It had been in the spur of the moment that she had totally forgotten until now. Charlotte took a moment to go through her feelings, attempting to understand why she was pushed to say those words to Morgana. They had been fighting against one another throughout the Spirit Palace. But throughout their battles, they seemed to have formed an understanding of each other as the attributes were uncovered. Their own understanding eventually creating a bond between them that they did not know of until recently.

But did Charlotte really love Morgana? Or was it just the Spirit Amulet influencing her choice of words? Could Charlotte really express her love for someone when she just recently understood what the emotion was?

"Hey Charlotte, I understand if you don't know the answer yet. I would feel the same way too if I had just grasped the concept of these positive emotions," Morgana reassured, deciding that it'd be best not to push forward with his curiosity. Still, it didn't change the fact that Morgana still wanted to pursue a bond with Charlotte – whether it would lead to just being friends or more.

"I believe I'm still trying to figure out who I really am, Morgana." Charlotte stated, feeling disappointed that she couldn't give Morgana a satisfying answer. From her perspective, she had just let go of the negative energy binding her, sacrificed herself and was now reborn, all in the span of a day.

Charlotte looked over to Morgana, sensing his disappointment as he pouted in his seat. Suddenly, an instinct came to her mind as she reached out and held onto Morgana's hand in comfort, much to his surprise.

"Mona… Even though we've fought on opposing sides for the longest time, I now realize that we've been building a bond together as we both came to an understanding of relationships." Charlotte told him. She took a moment to stare at Morgana, affirming her own emotions towards him. "Regardless of my feelings – I still have that same desire to be around you."

"Really?" Morgana said, sensing the heartfelt words Charlotte had spoken. He smiled, relieved to hear that Charlotte still wanted to establish a bond with him – whatever it may be.

"Still, there is one thing that confuses me Morgana. Why are we always being brought together in so many situations. Were we really motivated to come together by the bond of the Trickster and Lover?" Charlotte asked, hoping that they could both clarify this motive together.

"Maybe it wasn't just Ren and Ann – but the souls that gave us our very bodies." Morgana stated, looking down to his hands as he remembered Justine's life force being used to give him a second chance at live. He turned over to Charlotte, reminding her the origin of her sentience. "Remember how you came to be? You had taken the life force of Caroline for yourself to become human – just like how I was given her sister's."

"Yes, I remember. Where are you leading to, Mona?" Charlotte asked, listening intently.

"Caroline and Justine naturally worked together, being twin sisters and all. They were both required for Lavenza to form her own body – basically, creating a unity in their hearts." Morgana explained, a revelation suddenly coming to mind. "What if were given that instinct to always come together due to the sisters still yearning to be close?"

"So basically… their bond… practically yearns to become one through the bond that we ourselves make?" Charlotte attempted to clarify. "Both Caroline and Justine were two halves of one whole person – the previous Lavenza. We each have one of their former life forces that have given us our human forms – you with Justine, while I with Caroline. Do you think that their life forces – have been calling out to one another? Yearning to be together again?"

"It's the only thing that really makes sense out of this entire situation." Morgana confessed, chuckling once more at the absurdity. "Even though the twins bickered with each other a lot – one could say it was their way of expressing their love."

"We end up arguing with the ones we truly care with, right?" Charlotte stated, recalling a bit of knowledge from the spirit attribute energy in her own heart. She laughed, realizing that her first ever encounter with Morgana was a battle within the Spirit Palace, and that their first ever reunion in the Ferris Wheel started with them arguing over such trivial nonsense. "Maybe, that's why we've fought each other for so long. It was for us to truly understand each other, Mona."

Morgana and Charlotte were beginning to see eye to eye with another. Understanding the trials they had faced on their own and being brought together once again by faith. The life forces of Caroline and Justine driving them to be together and form a natural bond.

With a new purpose in both Morgana and Charlotte's minds, this would not necessarily be the creation of a new life, but the unity of two hearts uniting to create a new life together.

"So… maybe we should make something out of this?" Morgana suggested, turning his head downwards as he felt shy once again. "It's a new year today – maybe this could be the start of something new for us? Something that we each desired with Ren and Ann before."

"Are…. You asking… if I could… be your  _wife?"_ Charlotte gasped, covering a hand over her mouth.

"WHAT! NOOOOO! Nononononononono!" Morgana waved his hands in denial as he tried to clarify. "What I meant to say is, if we could start a new bond together? You know – to gradually learn more about each other. Spend time together. Maybe…. Get some sushi together?"

"Sushiiii! Oh yes! That's some the Trickster told me to try and eat!" Charlotte exclaimed, completely disregarding the weight of their situation as her mouth began to water.

"Huh… so that's how it feels like to ask someone else on a date." Morgana said to himself, feeling a little anti-climactic with his confession. Still, with his feelings laid out and Charlotte's acceptance to his proposal, Morgana now had a new purpose within the new year – to build a new bond with Charlotte as fate seemed to have brought them together.

Eventually, the Ferris Wheel approached the ground as Morgana and Charlotte boarded off their cart – ready to venture off to spend the New Year together.

"Wh-Wh-Whaaaaat? H-How did this chick get in here?" the ferris wheel operator freaked out, unable to understand how two people came out of the cart when Morgana was initially the only one to board.

"Shut up, ordinary human! This chick is going out for some sushiiii!" Charlotte exclaimed. She grabbed Morgana with both her arms and practically dragged him out of the Ferris Wheel cart. "Come on, Mona! I've worked up an appetite after being brought back to life. Let's get us some fatty tunaaaaaa!"

"W-Wait! Don't tug on my arm too hard, Charlotte!" Morgana yelped, struggling to maintain his pace with the excited Charlotte.

As the couple ran through the amusement park in hopes to find a sushi restaurant still be open, a small smell crept over Morgana's face - looking forward to the endless possibilities from the bond he and Charlotte would soon begin.

**.**

**..**

**...**

* * *

**[ P5: The Bond That Makes Us One ]  
** **\- EPILOGUE -**

Months passed as Morgana and his friends continued living out their lives. With high school being complete for Ren, Ann, Ryuji and Yusuke – the four looked forward to their respective graduations. Kosei High school was the first to hold its ceremonies – with the group coming to support Yusuke as he went up to grab his diploma – obtaining a special scholarship from his art pieces that gradually gained acknowledgement during his senior year.

"Congratulations, Inari!" Futaba exclaimed, rushing over after their ceremony to give him a high-five.

"We're super proud of you, Yusuke!" Ann congratulated, already taking out her phone as she motioned everyone to compress closer. "Come on guys! Let's take a selfie together!"

"Cool! You can join us too, Charlotte." Morgana encouraged, taking along her hand as he brought them both with the group for the picture.

"I-I'm not sure if I should be in this photo." Charlotte replied, feeling a bit shy to join their photo.

"Relax, Charlotte! You've been one of our own since the new year." Ryuji assured her with a smile.

"Yeah! And we really want you in this photo as well, Charlotte!" Kasumi acknowledged. She helped Morgana lead Charlotte into their group photo, happily embracing their new friend as Ann took a selfie – with Yusuke being in the centre of picture as he held his diploma up.

"Thank you for your support everyone." Yusuke gave his utmost gratitude to his friends as he nodded to all of them. "I wouldn't have been able to reach this position if I didn't have all of you to believe in my aspirations."

"I'm sure your mother would be proud of you, Yusuke." Ren reassured him, patting his friend's back.

"I know. This has been all for her." Yusuke replied, a small smile growing on his face as he looked over to his diploma, reflecting on how much he had grown in the past couple years. He had finally managed to grow out of Madarame's shadow and was one step closer to becoming the artist he inspired to be.

"Congratulations to you, Kitagawa-san." Hifumi suddenly spoke up, approaching the group as she gave smiled over to Yusuke. For a moment, she looked down as she began to twirl a lock of her hair, appearing to muster up the courage to ask Yusuke a question. "Uhm… So some of the classmates in our cohort as planing a celebration later this evening. I was wondering if you would like to accompany me tonight?"

"Hmm… Well, I'd have to double check on my schedule. My friends and I are probably going to celebrate together anyway." Yusuke answered. He looked over to the others – all of them seeming to shake their heads as they did their best to "What's with all of you? Why are you giving me these weird looks?"

"Actually… we can save our own celebration for later, Yusuke!" Ann answered, nudging Ren's side as she requested his help to set up Yusuke.

"Uhhh… Yeah, no worries! Yusuke, we can celebrate some other time together. Right now, I'd think it would be a good idea for you to hang out with Hifumi tonight." Ren replied. He looked over to Hifumi and gave her a wink. "Besides, Hifumi is an amazing girl once you've gotten the chance to really know her."

"I see. Alright, sounds like a plan." Yusuke said. He turned over to Hifumi and gave her a nod. "What time is the festivities? And what will you be wearing tonight? I want to ensure our outfit's color palettes compliment each other."

"Ohh… Well, I haven't decided yet, but maybe I can give you my number and we'll plan it out?" Hifumi suggested, reaching out for her phone as she began to make a new contact on her list.

"Smart idea. You definitely are the top at strategizing, Togo-san." Yusuke complimented her nonchalantly.

"Heheh, it's nothing too complicated, Kitagawa-san." Hifumi replied in amusement.

"Wow – and just like that, pretty boy's got a grad date for tonight," Ann commented. She sighed. "Even if Yusuke may not even know it right now. Oh well."

"Don't worry, I've got faith in them." Ren added, wrapping an arm around Ann's as he stared back at her in admiration. "The best relationships are always the ones that take you by surprise."

"I agree too!" Morgana stated, taking a moment to mimic Ren's gesture as he wrapped an arm around Charlotte's, giving her the same look of adoration. "Have I ever told you how lovely of a surprise you were in my life, Charlotte?"

"G-Gah! Don't stare at me like that, Mona! You know how easily I crumble when you look at me with those adorable eyes of yours!" Charlotte yelped as she began to cover Morgana's eyes with her hands in protest forcefully, much to her boyfriend's annoyance as he tried to fight back.

"Ugh… I still don't think I can get used to the idea of them dating." Futaba commented, watching as Morgana and Charlotte continued to argue.

"Still, after everything they've been through, they deserve to be happy." Kasumi stated.

After the Kosei High school graduation ceremony, the group eventually parted ways for the day, leaving Yusuke and Hifumi prepare for their night together with their graduating cohort.

**…**

The graduation ceremony at Shujin Academy eventually came. Ann and Ryuji happily accepted their certificates as they both sported their cap and gown. Both of them were relieved to have finally finished school and move past the stressful exams and studying. Although, this special day didn't stop Ryuji from causing any more trouble, as he decided to pull out an enthusiastic middle finger on stage as he accepted his

"Heh, what are they gonna do – suspend me from school after I graduated?" Ryuji commented,

"I'm so proud of you, Ryuji!" Haru was the first to congratulate him as their friends gathered together in the gymnasium among the other graduates. She had a box of chocolate cupcakes ready for Ryuji. She excitedly presented her box to him. "Here! I made you some sweets to celebrate."

"Ohh…. Heheh, how funny, I also made some cupcakes for Ryuji as well." Kasumi commented, looking over to Haru's box as each of them compared their specially baked goods.

"Huh – you girls  _both_ made cupcakes for Ryuji? Interesting." Makoto commented, noticing both Haru and Kasumi blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh my! How wonderful are your friends, Ryuji!" Mrs. Sakamoto suddenly spoke, approaching Haru and Kasumi from the back as she gazed over the cupcakes they made for him. "They must  _really_ love you enough to make some special treats!"

"L-Love?!" Haru and Kasumi both yelped as their faces grew even redder.

"Mom – they're just friends, nothing more." Ryuji rolled his eyes as his mother gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"JUST FRIEEENDS?" Haru and Kasumi shouted in unison, this time their faces glowing grey in embarrassment as they almost dropped their cupcakes on the floor.

"Uhm… Do you think the girls will be okay?" Charlotte whispered over to Morgana as the couple watched Kasumi and Haru lower their heads down in defeat, while Ryuji began taking photos with his mother.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Morgana answered, watching in amusement as he sensed the impending situation that Ryuji would find himself in between the two girls later on. "Who knows though – anything is possible in the realm of relationships for them."

Over to the side, Ren was with Shiho as they both presented their graduation gifts to Ann. Shiho had given her best friend a box of the finest chocolates – while Ren had brought an assortment of the most extravagant flowers from the Flower Shop he used to work at in the Underground Mall.

"Wow, these are such sweet gifts." Ann gushed, taking a moment to smell their aroma of both her flowers and sweets, which aroused Ann's mind towards happier thoughts. "Heheh, thanks you two. I'm so glad that you were both able to make it today."

"Come on, Ann! I wouldn't miss my best friend's graduation." Shiho exclaimed with a big smile on her face. She took a moment to look at her friend with a proud look. "You've grown up so much. And just to think – our friendship all started when I made fun of your ugly drawings."

"You just  _had_ to bring that up, huh?" Ann rolled her eyes at Shiho, before both of them began to laugh at the silly memory. Eventually, Ann turned over to Ren as she gave him a look of gratitude. "You always manage to keep your promises to come to Tokyo whenever I need you, huh babe? Even when it's such a hassle for you to jump on a train last minute. I'm just so appreciative of your efforts, heheh."

"Ann, wherever and whenever you need me, I'll do whatever it takes to be by your side." Ren reassured her. He noticed the slightly disappointed look on her face as another thought came to her mind. Ren attempted to comfort his girlfriend. "Hey Ann, I'm sure that your parents did everything they could to try and make it. But like you said, they've been super busy lately with business."

"I know… Still, I wish they were able to come." Ann confessed.

"Oh sweet crepe?" another voice suddenly spoke up from behind.

Immediately recognizing the man's voice, Ann turned around and found her parents walking over to her through the crowd of students.

"Mom? Dad? Y-You actually made it!" Ann exclaimed, rushing over to hug both her parents. "I thought you guys were stuck at work halfway across the world!"

"Oh honey, I must apologize, but we had to lie a little bit just to make this a special surprise." Mrs. Takamaki confessed.

"None of this wouldn't have been possible if we hadn't asked for your boyfriend to help lead you on. Good job, son!" Mr. Takamaki said, patting Ren on the shoulder.

"You're just full of surprises, are you?" Ann giggled to her boyfriend.

"Only the best surprises for the best girl." Ren winked over to her with a grin.

"Now! Both of you! Get close while we take a picture of you two!" Mrs. Takamaki motioned as she took out her camera.

"Just think – they're both going to look even more fabulous in the wedding attire we've designed for them." Mr. Takamaki commented, managing to catch Ren and Ann's attention by surprise.

"WH-WHAT!? Mom! Dad! We're not even close to marriage yet!" Ann yelled in embarrassment as her entire face began to glow red.

Ren simply remained silent, playing it safe and deciding not to make any further comments about their marriage that would certainly be in their far away future.

"Marriage? What's marriage again, Mona?" Charlotte asked, having overheard the conversation between Ann and her parents. She turned over to Morgana, mouthing the new vocabulary to herself.

"It's when two people choose to be together for the rest of their lives – at least, that's what I've learned so far." Morgana explained.

"Ohh… so like how you and me are going to be together forever, right?" Charlotte asked, looking over to him as she sought for an answer.

"Uhh… uhm…. Y-yeaaah. Totally!" Morgana stuttered for a moment, uncertain of how to really answer her question. Although, he wasn't entirely sure if the definition of marriage he'd given was in the correct context – Morgana's current feelings for Charlotte, and vice-versa, seemed to match what he had explained.

"Hmm… So we'll be together for a long time then?" Charlotte further pushed out of curiosity.

Taking a moment to think his answer over carefully, Morgana responded. "I know that we've gone through so much together in the past year. All those obstacles we've faced won't be for nothing. I just know that we'll have so many more opportunities for us to build our bond to greater heights in the future."

"Yeah… I believe so too." Charlotte replied. She turned back over to Ren and Ann, watching the couple as they enjoyed their special moment together. "Who knew that our obsessions for the Trickster and Lover would eventually bring us together, huh Mona?"

"Mhmm. And I wouldn't change that outcome for anything else in the world." Morgana affirmed, looking over to Charlotte as he grabbed her hand with affection. "We've definitely hit it lucky with this chance given to us."

"Yeah! Let's be the most powerful couple ever!" Charlotte said with determination.

The group continued their celebration at Shujin Academy – with Ann and Ryuji reaping their reward of freedom as they moved on from their high school days and looked forward to a brighter future with bigger opportunities awaiting them.

**…**

The last graduation ceremony finally came at Horikawa Senior High in Kyoto. Ren had been specially chosen to be his year's valedictorian – having made an impressionable impact among his peers within his last year of high school. All of his friends had made their way to Kyoto to cheer him on as he made his way on-stage on the high school's outdoor field.

"Good afternoon parents, friends, teachers, mentors, and of course, this year's graduating class that I am proud to be a part of." Ren began his speech, overlooking the hundreds within the crowd on the field.

"My goodness, the Trickster has such confidence in his speech," Charlotte noted as she and the rest of their friends sat in the same row. She whispered over to Morgana. "Where did he happen to learn this invaluable skill?"

"Well, I remember him being mentored by a pretty well-spoken politician last year," Morgana said, remembering of their days in Tokyo when Ren and Yoshida constantly met – with Ren helping the politician on his soapbox speeches, while in return, Yoshida would pass along his charismatic speaking skills. The ability was a valuable asset for Ren, as it helped him through negotiations with Shadows in the Metaverse beforehand - as well as power through his valedictorian speech at the very moment.

Ren's friends and the rest of the graduation audience listened intently as he spoke about the memories he made in his returning year, his prior experience last year in Tokyo and how he managed to grow past that dark time of his life. Ren emphasized the importance of building valuable relationships among his peers.

"Bonds have become an important part of my life – and in the last couple of years, I've learned the value in establishing and maintaining those relationships," Ren began the final part of his valedictorian speech. He turned over to his graduating class. "I encourage my fellow classmates that whatever happens after high school – that you also understand the importance of those who stay by your side and support your dreams. Our generation requires all of us to work together in order to create a better future for everyone."

The entire field began to applaud as Ren finished his speech, giving a final bow as he thanked everyone for listening. Eventually, the remainder of the graduation ceremony went underway as the class went up to obtain their certificates – ending with Ren and his group throwing their caps in the air with a celebratory fanfare from their school band.

"Woooooohooo! Awesome speech, brother!" Ryuji cheered, running across the field to join Ren, giving him a quick bro hug.

"You managed to make everyone both laugh and cry all in one speech. Since when were you able to convey so many emotions like that?" Makoto commented about Ren's presentation.

"Yes – your words managed to paint such a diverse picture with many colors that everyone was able to relate to." Yusuke gave his thoughts.

"I wish you had spoken at our graduation, Ren. You spoke with so much heart that even caused me to cry a couple times." Haru mentioned, still wiping away a tear from her eyes with a tissue.

"It's like you've maximized everything in your social stats!" Futaba joked. She nudged over to Kasumi. "Hey, how about you try and be our year's valedictorian when we graduate?"

"No way! I don't think I'd be able to deliver a speech just as good as Ren's." Kasumi replied in a shy manner.

"I think we all agree that Ren did amazing." Ann summarized their friend's points, going over to her boyfriend as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She looked up to him with gleaming admiration. "Look at you now – last year everyone at our school seemed to look at you with wary eyes. Now many are looking up to you for inspiration. Heheh, how times have changed, huh?"

"I couldn't have done it without you by my side, Ann." Ren responded, returning a kiss back to his girlfriend – this time going all out on her lips and causing their friends to groan in a light-hearted manner from their usual cheesy advances towards each other.

"I'm very proud of you, son." Mr. Amamiya came up to them, setting a hand on Ren's shoulder. "You've managed to come out on top, even through the most difficult of obstacles. You have definitely become the man I've always wished for you to grow into."

"Thank you, father." Ren responded, bowing over to his dad. Surprisingly, Mr. Amamiya embraced his son in his arms, which was a rare moment that Ren barely shared with his father. Taking a moment, Ren returned his father's hug as he slowly enveloped his arms around him.

"Why don't we take a picture to commemorate this wonderful occasion?" Mrs. Amamiya suggested. She looked over to Ann and motioned her to come over. "Ann-chan, please, we would love for you to join us in our family picture."

"Oh! Of course!" Ann happily complied, making her beside Ren as she wrapped an arm around his. Ren's parents both stood to the side in order to allow the couple to be in the middle.

"Here! Let me take the picture for you." Morgana insisted, taking Mrs. Amamiya's camera as he set up the photo for them. Through the camera's lenses, Morgana couldn't help but feel proud seeing Ann fully integrated with Ren's family – a vision that they all yearned to happen after all the drama they had endured in the last year.

"Hmm, so you must be the new friends that Ren has been telling us." Mr. Amamiya spoke, starting a conversation with Morgana and Charlotte. "He's told me so much stories about all of you."

"Like how we've been traversing through a palace in a different dimension for the past year – fighting against shadows and learning about the power of strong relationships over time?" Charlotte suddenly blurted out, much to the horror of Ren, Ann and Morgana.

"Uhm! Never mind her! She just has a big imagination!" Morgana insisted, covering Charlotte's mouth as she began to argue in protest.

"Oh my! And a big imagination she does have!" Mrs. Amamiya commented in amusement. "You'll have to tell us about that story some time!"

"Heheh, I think it's best that we leave that story alone, mother." Ren convinced her. He looked over at the time, noticing that it was almost lunch. "We should get to those lunch reservations at the sushi restaurant, don't you think?"

"You're right, son! Ann is coming, right?" Mr. Amamiya asked.

"You bet!" Ann happily replied. She turned over to Morgana and Charlotte. "We'll meet you guys for dinner later, okay?"

"Yup! You guys go enjoy yourselves." Morgana waved them farewell as the Amamiya's and Ann made their way over to their reservations. Looking over to Charlotte, Morgana motioned them back to the rest of their friends. "So, what do you think we should do to pass the time?"

"Hmmm, oh! I heard there is this really nice bamboo forest somewhere in Kyoto! Why don't we go exploring there for a bit?" Charlotte suggested.

"Ooooooh! You're talking about Arashiyama, right? All this time I've been in Kyoto, and not once has Ren taken me there, even when I was a cat!" Morgana responded excitedly. He grabbed Charlotte's hand as they made their way back to their friends. "Come on! I'm sure the others would wanna join us."

"Yes! And maybe we can try and set Ryuji up with one of the other girls." Charlotte mentioned, eyeing over to the blonde boy with positive intentions of her own – having recently confirmed the feelings of Haru and Kasumi for him. "The boy deserves some love of his own!"

"Heheh, now that would be an amusing thing to see. Let's do it!"

**…**

Later on that night, the group made their way over to Okumaru Cafe – with Haru reserving the entire upper balcony for them as they celebrated all of their accomplishments of graduating high school. The special string of lights set up lit the area, giving the balcony a warm and welcoming feel as a long table of various sweets stood in front of the group.

"Shit… I haven't seen this many sweets all at once before!" Ryuji gasped, already feeling the sugar rush that he was about to encounter from indulging in the plethora of cakes, cookies and pastries.

"Ugh… just looking at all these sweets is giving me a sugar coma already." Futaba groaned.

"After all we've been through in high school, I believe we've earned a night to go all-out on the desserts!" Ann exclaimed. She grabbed the stack of plates left on the table and began to hand one to everyone. "Come on, guys! Don't be shy. There's more food stored downstairs if we finish all of this."

"I don't mind at all. This might be the most I'll eat throughout the entire week." Yusuke mentioned as he grabbed a plate and began piling it up with various foods.

"Huh – you're a recent art grad, yet still somehow struggle to eat." Makoto commented.

"You get used to it after awhile." Yusuke simply answered.

Over to the tables, Kasumi and Haru insisted on Ryuji to sit beside either one of them – although both of them tried to do it in their most polite way to avoid offending the other. Finally having enough of their overly polite gestures, Ryuji decided to lay a foot down and get to the bottom of this situation.

"Okay, why have y'all been acting so nice to me recently?" Ryuji asked, taking a seat of his own. "I swear, all of this started since New Years when both of you kissed me on my cheek. Then y'all wanted to hold my hands back at the bamboo forest, and should I even mention when you both made a bunch of cupcakes for me for my graduation?"

"Are… you serious?" Kasumi replied in bewilderment to Ryuji's response. "I thought we were making ourselves very clear with you, Sakamoto-san!"

"Did… our message not get across to you at all?" Haru suddenly blurted out, beginning to lose temper towards Ryuji's obliviousness. "We obviously like you! How could you not tell?"

"Oh… I thought you guys were being just really nice friends. That's what we do, right?" Ryuji tried to explain, slowly realizing the whole mess he had gotten himself into.

"Just… give us a moment to hash things out, girl-to-girl." Kasumi insisted, motioning over to Haru for them to find a table of their own.

"Right, maybe you just need some time for yourself, Sakamoto-san." Haru responded.

"What… what the heck did I do?" Ryuji rubbed his face with his hands, looking over to Yusuke for answers.

"Don't look at me – I'm not the one who got you into this love triangle in the first place." Yusuke said.

"So... our plan at the bamboo forest didn't really work." Charlotte mentioned, taking a spot near Morgana, Ren and Ann.

"Yeah, we tried to set up him up with either Haru and Kasumi, but it's like the dude doesn't notice any obvious signs whatsoever!" Morgana brought up, taking a bite out of his chocolate croissant.

"I know you guys mean to do good – but maybe this is a journey that Ryuji needs to take by himself." Ren reminded them.

"I agree. I know it's so awesome that you two enjoy being together that you want Ryuji to be with someone, but everyone goes at their own relationship pace." Ann reminded them. "I mean, look at the four of us. We've gone through so much of our own relationship problems, yet we managed to figure it all out on our own. Maybe it's time for Ryuji to do it his way too."

"Yeah… You're right. Maybe it's not like the Spirit Palace where we try to help influence Ryuji's bonds through solving his problems ourselves." Morgana brought up. "This time, he's gonna have to do it the old fashioned way through personal experience."

"Poor boy – I sense a rough journey for him." Charlotte expressed, looking over to Ryuji as he munched away on his desserts. "Then again, considering Ryuji's mind – he'll probably not even dwell on the matter for a very long time. Oh well."

The group spent the entire night hanging out and reminiscing on the adventures they took together – beginning all the way back to almost two years ago when the started out as the Phantom Thieves and strengthening their friendships throughout the battles in the Metaverse and personal conflicts in real life. Eventually, their conversation shifted towards their future, knowing that their lives would be even more busier with everyone else now beginning their paths into post-secondary education.

"It's gonna be a real long time unti we get to hang out like this again, huh?" Ryuji was the first to comment – a moment of silence lulling around them as the realization came to reality.

"I mean – Kasumi and I can still hang out together at Shujin in honour of all of us." Futaba mentioned, reaching over to Kasumi as she clung on her friend's arm.

"Still, it won't be the same anymore." Kasumi mentioned. "We'll all be starting a new phase in our lives – some of us going on paths that will bring them further away from the rest of our group."

Everyone turned over to Ann, who kept her gaze down as she remained silent. Tonight would be the final time that she would get the chance to hang out with her friends, as later on in the week, she'd be boarding on a plane to begin establishing her modeling and entertainment career around the world with Yukari Takeba.

"Oh… I'd forgotten about that." Charlotte commented. Sadness began to overwhelm her spirit as well – regardless of the short amount of time she knew Ann. In her time of living, Charlotte had never experienced one of her only friends leaving, so this entire situation was all brand new to her.

"You guys… I'll never forget of all the memories we've shared together." Ann began to speak, doing her best to maintain her composure. Letting out a sigh, she looked up to them with a smile on her face. "We've been through a lot together, huh? Fighting against shadows, reforming society as world-renown thieves, and going through a lot of personal issues. Sure, there were some moments where our friendships were almost torn apart, but as always, we solved them together and made our relationships stronger."

"Heck yeah! We're a tough group, that's for sure!" Morgana brought up, pumping his fists in the air in order to lighten up the mood. The others agreed with him. No matter what challenges they faced, they were a group of friends who would remain devoted to one another.

"Ohh Ann, you've always been the heart of the group." Kasumi commented, taking a moment to sit beside Ann and gave her a quick side hug as their emotions began to unravel. "I just know that you'll make us proud out there as both a super model and movie actress!"

"Hell yeah! It's only a matter of time until we see your face plastered all around Tokyo – saying how you've become one of Japan's top newest international models." Ryuji exclaimed enthusiastically.

"And I'll make sure that I'm one of the first people lining up to your movie premieres when you hit it big in a starring role!" Makoto also expressed to cheer Ann up.

"Maybe when you hit it big in the music industry, I'll be listening to your top album through the many torrent sites I'm downloading from!" Futaba mentioned.

"Isn't that illegal?" Yusuke asked with concern.

"Eh, everyone's been doing it. You're not gonna be a tattle tale now, huh Inari?"

"I promise! I'll do my best for you guys!" Ann cried out, feeling overwhelmed by her friend's support. Ren went over to her side and handed her a handkerchief to blow her nose. She took a moment to rest her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, grabbing his hand as she ran her fingers through his. "You better make sure to call me every day too, okay babe?"

"I promise." Ren gently affirmed, which managed to ease Ann's heart for the time being.

"I couldn't imagine ever leaving my loved one for a long time, let alone travel far away from them." Charlotte commented to Morgana as she tried to comprehend this certain aspect of Ren and Ann's relationship. "Why bother leaving your significant other? Wouldn't be easier just not to away from them?"

"Well, that's the special thing about Ren and Ann – no matter the distance between them, their hearts are always supporting each other." Morgana brought up. "Their hearts are truly in tune with one another that being across the world won't stop their love."

"I see. There dedication to each other expands across all the corners of the world. How interesting." Charlotte thought.

The group continued on with their talks atop Okumaru Cafe. Eventually, a certain topic about their group coming together in the future prompted immediate planning.

"You know, I've always thought of making these cafes as more than just a business venture," Haru reminded the group as she switched topics. She took a moment to stand among the balcony's railings as she traced her finger along the fine wooden craftsmanship. "I've wanted these cafes to represent a safe haven where those lost could come together and share a drink, along with their stories to the people they'd meet along the way."

"And you've done a fine work, indeed, Haru." Ren replied, looking back to his own experiences working as a barista at the specific cafe branch. "I've been blessed with the opportunity to meet new people, who've become familiar faces during my time of working here. They always feel welcome whenever they grab a drink."

"Coffee seems to always be a good way to bring people together, huh?" Ryuji commented as everyone else nodded.

"I believe we should make a pact then. That every year, we promise to free our schedules for one day in order to meet up over a cup of coffee so we can catch up" Makoto suggested.

"We should make this cafe our main reunion place, then!" Futaba suggested. "As much as I love Cafe Leblanc, the place does kinda get monotonous when you go there every day. I need some variety every so often, plus the journey from Tokyo to here is always fun!"

"A journey, you say? That would be a fine idea to do as well." Yusuke brought up as he began to scratch his chin, another idea popping up in his mind.

"What do you mean journey, Yusuke? Are you talking about like a road trip or something?" Ryuji mentioned as he received a nod from the artist.

"A road trip, hmm? That idea is definitely intriguing." Makoto thought it over. "I do happen to know a business that offers rental RV's too."

"Maybe that should be our next big plan then! To go on a road trip across Japan together!" Kasumi exclaimed. "I've always wanted to check out the hot springs in Sapporo! And the yukata festivals held in Sendai!"

"Ooooh! I've always wanted to check out the tropical beaches around Okinawa too!" Haru expressed, joining along Kasumi as they began to think of some more fun locations on their ideal road trip.

"Man! This idea is sounding even more and more exciting! We should totally do this sometime in the summer too." Ryuji mentioned as he joined the girls in their brainstorming.

"What do you say? You down for a road trip with us in the summer?" Morgana asked as he looked over to Charlotte.

"Of course! This opportunity would help me broaden my own experience of Japan!" Charlotte expressed. She already began to play around with the idea of sight-seeing different cities while spending time with her newfound friends. "This idea would definitely help us strengthen all our bonds together as well!"

"So, looks like everyone's settled on the idea of traveling around Japan." Ren chuckled. He turned over to Ann and raised the question to her. "So, you think that superstar Ann will have time to join us on our exciting adventure this summer?"

"Oh please, I'm not a superstar yet, heheh." Ann giggled, playfully pushing her boyfriend. Her feelings of anguish in leaving her friends soon disappeared as she began to look forward to their already planned next reunion. "A road trip does sound fun though. And Yukari did mention that she'd be taking a break around summertime too. Okay! I've made up my mind! No matter what happens, I'm definitely coming along!"

"Alriiiiiight! This road trip is in the bag!" Ryuji exclaimed as everyone else cheered along.

Ren smiled, happy to see that their adventures together was no where close to ending. He turned back over to Ann, noticing the same conflicted look on her face return. "Hey, you gonna be good still?"

"Yeah, I think I will be." Ann replied, taking a moment to smile back to her boyfriend. Although, she couldn't stop a sigh from escaping her lips. "Still, I'm really gonna miss you guys. The occasional hang outs we've had won't be as frequent anymore."

"I know. We're all going to miss you Ann." Ren answered, taking his arm around Ann as he pulled her closer beside him. He took a moment to look over to the heart necklace that he had given to Ann in the summer last year. "Wherever you are in the world, our hearts will always be with you, Ann. We believe that you'll become the strongest and most fearsome international model out there."

"I promise I'll do my best to make it happen." Ann stated, feeling much better from Ren's encouragement. "Like I told you last year, I'll do whatever it takes to become a proper lady for you. And to become an inspiration just like how you and Shiho have been for me!"

"And no matter what, we'll all be here at home whenever you need us." Ren affirmed, causing Ann to blush once again as she always felt at ease from hearing her boyfriend's words.

Ren and Ann took a moment to stare at each other, before embracing into a heartfelt kiss. This last year had been one of the toughest times their relationship had faced. But no matter what challenges they faced, no matter what people seemed to get in their way, Ren and Ann always found a way back to each other. Their relationship had endured the heaviest of beatings through betrayal, jealousy, anger and despair. But both their hearts desired to remain one as they desired to remain together – with their relationship always coming out on top much stronger than before.

And even with the future of separation temporarily taking over their lives as they would split off on their own adventures of growth, Ren and Ann had no fear for their relationship. The couple believed that their hearts would always desire to reunite, and embraced their destiny to one day happily spend the rest of their lives together.

Of course – the couple had to thank a certain cat who had been looking out for their spiritual bond in the past year too.

"Hey Mona, did I ever mention how lucky I am to have met you?" Charlotte suddenly brought up, the pair taking a moment to break away from their friend's conversations as went to the side.

"Hmm, only about a hundred times in the last couple of days." Morgana joked, causing him to receive a gentle jab from Charlotte's elbow.

"Well, I really mean what I said. "Not many people like me get a second chance at life. But you fought to ensure that I get that opportunity. I'm just so glad that I get to spend those moments with you." Charlotte expressed with a genuine heart, feeling her face turn red once again.

"I have to thank you as well, Charlotte." Morgana began his own little speech to her. "If it wasn't for you to really push me in learning those spirit attributes in what made relationships so special, I wouldn't have been motivated to maintain these friendships along the way."

"And in the end, these friendships have probably become the greatest gift we've ever received." Charlotte stated, looking over to her newfound friends as they continued enjoying their conversations among each other. "Mona - you've truly become the bond that made all of us connect as one spirit. I am forever grateful for that treasure you've found for us."

"It wasn't just me though, Charlotte. It was all the collective desires of all our hearts that kept us united." Morgana stated, reflecting on his own personal journey throughout the year. "Each of our bonds – built upon the attributes of a true relationship. A journey that we all face together. It's the path we share with our loved ones that make us strong."

Charlotte stared up to Morgana, grateful for the wise boy that she embraced in her life. With the knowledge of creating bonds that they obtained throughout the year, the couple were looking forward to many more friendships that they could built together – all while making their own bond stronger.

"Hey! Before we leave, why don't we all take a group photo together to commemorate the occasion?" Ryuji suggested to the group.

"What a wonderful idea! Let's do it!" Makoto motioned everyone to gather around.

"I'll stand beside you, Ryuji, if that's okay?." Kasumi asked, taking the boy's right arm as she clutched it.

"I'll take your other arm, if you don't mind at all!" Haru came in right after, grabbing onto Ryuji's left arm.

"Oh boy – since when did Ryuji become such a chick magnet?" Futaba scoffed, rolling her eyes as she began to take her position in the photo.

"Kasumi! Haru! Ensure that Sakamoto-san does not move an inch. It shouldn't be an issue if you just squish him together." Yusuke commanded as he took a moment to canvas their photo and called them to the best places to stand. "Ren! Ann! I suggest you two sit together near the centre. It'll help align the symmetry of the picture."

"Sounds like a plan." Ren obliged. He motioned for Ann to follow. "Let's make this picture a memorable one, shall we?"

"Coming!" Ann replied. Before walking over with Ren, Ann took out her phone and handed it over to Charlotte. "Hey! Would you mind setting up the camera? You can put on the timer, then run over and join us in the photo!"

"Certainly!" Charlotte replied happily. Taking Ann's phone, Charlotte set it up on a chair facing their group, ensuring that the warm lighting made them glow in the picture. Setting up the timer, Charlotte turned it on and made a mad dash to join her friends, standing beside Morgana as she clutched his arms and smiled.

"Alright everyone! Give a big smile and say Ryuji smells!" Morgana initiated them.

"Heeeey! That's not cool man!" Ryuji complained.

Regardless - the group happily said the given phrase in unison as the photo was taken. The end result presented a heartwarming picture of the group smiling as they all stood close together, symbolizing the strong friendships they made throughout the last couple years – with many more happy memories to come.

The future seemed to look bright for Morgana and his friends. As the night eventually would come to a close and the group parting ways to pursue their next ventures in life – a piece of their hearts remained connected as they looked forward to their coming reunions they promised to maintain.

No matter where life took them – their hearts remained one in spirit, as a singular unit destined to push through the hardships of reality and helped each one of them grow stronger. This growth - only possible from the attributes they had learned about relationships overtime...

The  **joy**  that was possible in simply investing time together and catching up with each other's personal growth as life moved on.

The  **service**  offered to a friend in need – whether it'd be reaching out to a someone who required help, or to offer heartfelt advice in times of confusion or uncertainty.

The  **loyalty**  built between all of them – that no matter what hardships they faced, their group would persevere through these challenges and remain faithful to one another.

The  **kindness**  shared – a desire to remain friendly and generous. Not because either of them expected anything in return, but to do it out of the goodness of their heart.

The  **honesty** given to one another - to respect each of their integrity and to not withhold any secrets, establishing a trust between the group and having no fear to express their feelings.

The  **patience** they held towards each other - to understand that some of their friends would move along and process their emotions at their own pace.

The  **common purpose** ,represented by the same ideals that the group shared. The unity they expressed - regardless of their differing personalities, kept them focused to look out for one another.

And most importantly, the genuine  **love**  they shared for each other from their life experiences – whether as best friends or romantic lovers. A true love that embodied all prior attributes – making these bonds effortless and natural.

Life would continue moving on.

Yet their hearts remained in the same place.

Together. As one.

.

..

…

_**The End!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, that's it! The end to a heartfelt long-fic! I'd never imagine reaching this far for this story, as I always envisioned this to be a little side project to tide me after beating Persona 5 for the first time last year in Spring. But throughout this year, the characters and universe have become one of my favourite hobbies to indulge in (I've even been collecting so many of the Phantom Thieves Nenderoids and Figmas ahah).
> 
> Looking back to those days when I happily invested so many hours of my spare time just to play the game is a feeling I hadn't felt for quite awhile, so I'm very grateful that such a game series exists.
> 
> Regardless of the obstacles faced along the way with writer's block, disinterest in story ideas from others, update delays and busy schedule, I'm super glad of the story that I was able to complete and tell. I've never seen a story told mainly from the perspective of Morgana's - so I figured writing a plot focusing on him defending the relationship between Ren and Ann - in which he harboured feelings for the latter - was an interesting idea to tackle. I also wanted to do a more unorthodox plot focusing on the important aspects of relationships, so I figured writing about the hardships Ren, Ann and Morgana faced as they struggled against these issues together would be a cool way to do it. Even though it was done in such a dramatic manner that may possibly rival CW Dramas - but hey, that's fanfiction for you - anything is possible!
> 
> Man, in retrospective - who wouldn't fall in love with such a cute couple like Shuann during their first playthrough of Persona 5? I'm looking forward to investing in more moments for this pairing when both Persona 5 Royal and Scramble come out. But as of right now, fanfiction is the best outlet to find heartwarming and adorable content regarding this couple.
> 
> A special thanks to the Shuann Discord that I had recently joined last year - which is currently established as a fun community where people share their love for Shuann. I am truly thankful for the many writers, artists and friends that I've made there who have helped inspire me to write more for Shuann.
> 
> Speaking of, if you're looking for more Shuann material, Shuann Week 2K20 is coming up, which will be held from April 6 - 12. Many artists and writers I know of will be contributing more of their treasures dedicated to Shuann during that week - including myself! So I urge y'all to put this on your calendars are we look forward to another week of Shuann awesomeness!
> 
> For those of you who have managed to catch up to this ending and maintained their interest since the very first chapter - I give my sincerest thanks to you for your support! Writing itself is a fun way hobby, but I do really appreciate those who have invested their time to simply read and comment on my own ideas. It means a lot!
> 
> In terms of future content I will be creating, I have an up and coming new story that will be posted within the next few weeks - focusing on a crossover between two different fandoms. If you're familiar with my previous work, you'll have an idea on what those two characters will be. I'll be taking a break from writing Persona 5 content for awhile, but will return to write for the aforementioned Shuann week. I hope that you'll find interest in these upcoming projects of mine!
> 
> For my final words in this fic, I'd like to share a quote for you all that remained as the foundation to this whole idea – and was basically the driving force to this certain story. It will be found at the bottom of this page. I hope that this quote is something your will keep in mind throughout your daily life, as its message about love is what I constantly remind myself in order to show my gratitude to those close to me in real life. Whether the love you think about refers to a romantic one, or simply a strong love based around family and friends - this type of compassion is something I encourage y'all to think about and share!
> 
> Anyway, have a good weekend - and I hope to see you on my next story project! Cheers!
> 
> ~Azu
> 
> "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
> 
> ~ I do not own any Persona-related material. Any relation to real world events or persons are coincidental. This story is purely for entertainment usage only. The sole property of the Persona series and characters are respectively owned by Atlus Co., and SEGA ~


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